Avatar: A new world
by Dragonkingofthestars
Summary: Five hundred years has pasted since the time of Korra, since that time, we have gone beyond that which we once knew to be the world. Full intro inside.
1. intro

Air.

Water.

Earth.

Fire.

Five hundred years has pasted since the time of Korra, since that time, we have gone beyond that which we once knew to be the world. Korra was the last avatar, she passed away 230 years ago.

I am Avatar Kelin, and my time is growing short, my destiny ends, when we make are first contact.

The time when the Avatar kept peace and balance in the world has pasted. Now, the Avatar must keep peace in a galaxy at war, or it will be consumed.

* * *

**_This is a idea i had floating around in my head. Since unlike most fantasy worlds Avatar keeps advancing technologically i can see this happening. First chapter will be short but there will be action in the chapter after that._**


	2. Earth: observations

Sargent Malk looked though the telescope nervously.

Right now he was taking cover in a tree, hiding from what he was observing.

_What were the odds?_ He asked himself. _We make a secrete military base on a planet, and a alien race goes and colonize near by._

The simple prefab buildings showed the beginnings of a colony as the aliens, some kind of plate headed beings, began to work a farm into life.

Still it could have been worse.

They could have been assumed to be a target and have been shelled for the practice.

A sound in his helmet radio drew his attention. Nodding he slid down the tree, segmented armor gliding smoothly over his cloth under clothing.

Landing with a light rattle of armor plates he nodded to his replacement observer who shambled up the tree quickly.

A few of the soilders in the out post snickered as they watched him climb up in his armor.

Shaking his head Malk signaled one of the squads to follow him and left back to there outpost. It was there turn to rest in the bunker.

So far though there only orders had been to keep a watch while command figured out what to do.

That and a platoon worth of troops was on stand by at all times in a nearby bunker.

After a few minutes of swift movement though the forest he scanned around. The trench was suppose to be here, but it was very well hidden. Then movement from one of the bushes.

Signaled as such he ducked into the trench.

Nodding to the other men in the trench he entered a tunnel at the back of the trench and was in the under ground base out post of the and soon entered the military camp.

Sighing he took his helmet and slid it under his arm. The first room was the mess hall/bunk room.

Right now someone had disassembled a machine gun on his bed and the reek of fresh gun oil was stifling.

Before he could complain to any one in the room the machine gunner came back, a box of parts carried in both hands.

"Care to explain why you took apart one of are heavy weapons now?" Malk criticized. Private Mal scoffed.

"It was jammed and I'm fixing it. And sine I was at it I thought I may as well service it."

Malk nodded. "Keep at it. I don't want to be down any of are fire power."

"Yes officer sir." Mal said lazily. When Malk was almost out of ear shot.

Almost.

He spun around. "What was that?"

"Nothing sir, just I rather be down fire power then be tempted to use it. Frankly sir those guys are civilians and they would not hurt a fly."

Malk huffed, his fingers itched, he took a deep breath of air. "We will talk about this later Mal."

"Yes sir." Mal said un-phased as he kept work on the machine gun.

Shaking his head Malk walked into the back of the bunker, the officers quarters/communication room.

At the back his superior, major Gem was work a radio.

"Now that is good news sir. Thank you sir. I'll tell the men." he hung up a smile on his face, the first since this whole mess started.

"Malk, a drink please." shaking his head Malk walked to a cooler in the conner and drew a thermos of chilled tea and a couple of cups out.

"The occasion sir?" he put the cups on the table and poured into them.

"Avatar Kelin is coming to make the first contact."

"That is good news." Malk said he picked both cups and heated his hands till the tea was steaming.

"Indeed." Gem said shaking his head. "I trust him to make first contact more then any one else. Still no breaks you still on watch same time tomorrow, and it will take a few days for him to get here. In all honesty there likely going to make contact in space."

"Awkward conversation when they find out a full army training camp is nearby."

"Yes, well thats not why the Alliance pays us." he said with a shrug. "Are job is strictly BTB, diplomacy is for politicians and Avatars." he added as a after thought.

"I'll drink to that." Malk said and the two clinked there cups together then drunk there tea to the dredges.

"What is that, Jasmine Dragon brand?" Malk said. Gem nodded.

"Good stuff." Malk set his cup down.

"I'll go tell the men the good news."

"Good, dismissed." Gem said Malk saluted and left the room.


	3. Earth: Contact

**_A note about the Alliance._**

**_There technology is Seriously Schizo. they know about mass effect fields and use them extensively, but they don't know about rail guns and so don't have a true combat use for element zero. (explaining the ridiculous caliber of there rifles) . There shuttles, as mentioned lack jets like on the shuttle in the game so they have to rely on old style helicopter blades. _**

**_Sort of like how in Korra they have cars but not rifles. Still exploring what this means but in short there basically a 21 century (maybe early 20th i did try to give the troopers a bit of a trench warfare vib to them) with functional magic (Bending) that knows about element zero._**

* * *

Malk was in the same tree as yesterday, examining the village of prefab buildings.

It was quite interesting watching them really. It was like looking in a mirror.

They looked inhuman, but in the end they acted almost the same.

They cared, they farmed, they worked for a better tomorrow.

Then it happened.

Explosions of green smoke marched across the base.

Instinctively the Sargent slide a gas mask over his face quickly checking the seals. Once done he then went back to the spy glass and watched as the aliens, no people fell over, dead.

No, not dead. He extended the watch glass some more to get a closer view. Some of them were still upright, chocking, coughing eyes runny, but still alive, a gas would have killed them by now. It was a incapcaory agent.

Which was good, but what did that mean?

He got his answer when four shuttles lifted by some kind of jet thruster floated like zeppelins over the colony finally settling down in the middle after a moment of what seed to be thought.

A second type of alien judging by body shape emerged from the gunships, it was the first of a platoon of similar aliens. They began rounding up the fallen shoveing them into place, even as he watched the gas faded.

Suddenly it occurred to him that a few people were running away from them toward the forest, toward them.

He slammed his hand onto his radio transmitter. "This is sargent Malk to Major Gem, respond." Silence.

"This is Sargent Malk, Respond!" nothing but static. They were being jammed.

"Sargent!" a voice from the bottom of the tree called up. "What do we do!" and they were on there own.

Malk was now in the unenviable position of being one of the people history revolves around. His choice now would echo for all time.

Pressure.

"Lock and load but do not shoot, repeat, do not shoot!" he shouted down and kept a eye on the villagers heading there way.

They were running, definitely scared, even as he watched one man tripped, only to be helped up by another, only for both to get shot in the back from a alien light machine gun.

The civilians were dieing, and he was doing nothing. No counter argument could be formed in his mind, plus when they ran into the tree line they would be found out.

With a finger flick on a switch his mass effect shielding flared to life around him.

He then snapped his fingers sending lighter sized flares across the tips. After a second of that he jumped down slowing his fall with a burst of flame from his feet.

Landing he gave the order. "On command: fire at will but only at the attackers."

He waited a moment for both machine guns to be ready, listening for the distinctive snap of the bolt being closed.

He took a breath as another burst cut down a pair of civilians. The civilians were close to the tree line now, the attackers close behind.

Malk drew his hand back and took a step out of the tree line, "Fire at will!"

SHIFT

Ajen was just a colonist, not a soldiers so when the tear gas rolled across the colony he had done the only thing could do.

Run.

He was quite justified he thought given these were slavers.

He was luckily one the edge of the colony tending the farm when they hit so the tear gas had not affected him much.

Bullets cracked over head as he made a break for the forest, for a second he thought he saw a flash of flame.

He tripoed stood up, turned slightly and saw the couple who lived in his hab building get gunned down, the husband, Jelm had tripped and his wife was helping him up when they were both gunned down.

He turned to the tree line. Then, he emerged.

He was almost like a breastless Asair in odd segmented armor, and the less said about the helmet's ridiculous neck gaurd the better. The gas mask he wore made him insanely creepy, just glowing green eyes on a faceless, face.

He gestured waving to something behind him and the air was filled with gun fire, red tracers lancing hard into the slavers who gave cry's of surprise and pain.

It gave enough time for Ajen to reach the man, he grabbed his shoulder, forced him behind him. Ajen was on his back, facing the armored man, what he did next engraved it self to the back of his head.

The man drew his hand back, the air shimmering around his hand. Then he lashed out.

With a swift punch like motion, his hand ignited in a ball of flame, which was at the last second thrown like a gaint tracer.

The slaver it had suddenly had his flesh melt off his skull, along with his helmet.

For a second the gunfire almost ceased from the slavers, in shock and fear, what did he just do!

Another twin rapid-fire blasts impacted a pair of slavers in the chest melting armor and cooking flesh under there armor.

A hailstorm of rounds impacted toward him. The man fired a wall of fire from his hands in a wave that set the grass ablaze. He then turned at Ajen and angrily gestured to him shouting something as bullet impacted the shield around him.

Ajen nodded and stumbled up right plowing into the tree line.

SHIFT

Malk nodded as the alien went into the forest he then turned back to the incoming. As expected they were all shooting at him, the fire bender, even as the riflemen poured bullets into them.

There was a good reason why that was so though. He took two steps forward focusing on the already burning grass, took a deep breath then sent the smoky fire forward, rolling toward them like a brush fire.

As the burning wall of flame lit toward them Malk took the chance to fall back into cover to let his shields recover.

Flipping over a tree trunk he spared a moment to make sure the fire would not burn back toward them. Nodded that it would not he then took a breather behind a tree. Quickly he took his helmet and mask, wiping the sweat off his forehead.

He then realized some one was nearby. Turning his head he came face to face with one of the alien civilians.

"yo." He said and took a long swig from a water canteen. He offered to the alien only for it to be turned down.

Then a rumbling noise drew both of there attention, they could hear it because the machine guns and riflemen had no targets due to the smoke.

"Monkey feathers." Malk huffed and slid his helmet back on.

Major gem had arrived, and he had brought the whole bunker.

The men basically stood on flat top boulders moved by earth benders without much care what was in the way. It was a fast and noisy way to move people.

Major Gem stone block was in the lead, with a stomping motion he collapsed the block he was standing on into the earth and stormed forward.

"What is going on!" he yelled.

"Sir!" Malk stood up and saluted.

"Please tell me, they started it, Sergeant Malk or so help me I'll break your neck were you stand!"

"We did not start it, but neither did they. A third party got involved and attacked them."

"You got us involved in a war!" He snapped.

"There civilians sir, I could not stand by and let Civilians get slaughter whole sale."

"I don't fault your morals, I fault you intelligence do you have any idea what you may have done!" Gem was now yelling again. "For all we know you've just doomed us to death by a army we out number!"

"Civilians were being killed! You expect me to do nothing. I shall defend the innocent and never lift a hand to harm those undeserving of my fire."

"Don't quote the fire bender oath to me!" Gem yelled. "We will talk about this latter." He growled

"Right now, thanks to you, were engaged and have no choice but to defeat them. Depending on how this goes expect a court martial."

He then spun to face the alien civilian on the ground. With a foot stomp a small pillar of earth knocked him upright on his feet.

"Git." He sniped gesturing back to the bunker. The alien rubbing his bottom glared at Major gem and left away from the fighting that was soon to resume.

SHIFT

"Fire balls? You expect me to believe a male Asair shooting fire balls stopped you?" Captain Geldin of the slavers said exasperated.

"I know what I saw." The subordinate respond sharply. "That guy was either a living flame thrower or had a hidden one."

"A flamethrower I believe. But what you must have seen was an unknown biotic effect. Don't those collector goons have a red biotic effect as well?" Geldin shivered in the memory of that raid gone wrong.

"I tell you what I saw." Geldin sighed and shot him in the face.

"And I don't want to hear it." Geldin responded wiping blood off his armor. He looked at the fire.

It had just died out and the ground was still smoldering. He would have to send a team into the woods to find these Asair and kill them.

Then he blinked in surprise, and when you have four eyes that can be quite expressive, at the edge of the forest now there were three stonewalls.

Roughly three meters long by four meters tall, and roughly a half-meter thick the walls had come from nowhere.

"Where did those come from?" he asked. Seconds later the machine guns spat to life again barraging nearby buildings to suppress any one inside them.

Then the rock walls moved forward ash being kicked up in their wake.

What the heck do you shoot at when a rock wall rolled toward you?

The Slavers stayed bunkered down in the hab buildings both on the outer edges of the colony keeping there heads down.

The walls of stone crept closer, kept down by the machine guns the slavers could only take pop-shots at the rock, but there was nothing to really shoot at though.

Then for only a second a man with slate black hair pivoted around a wall and fired arc of flame swinging his arm in arc that sent a barrage of fire into a nearby building.

Then the rock walls exploded.

From behind them the earth benders punched the stone in front of them propelling it forward the shards of rock pattering against the metal hab walls.

In the final barrage the Slavers were forced down, and the men got close. Storming into a hab complex a squad behind him Gem kicked down a door with a minor metal bending sending it ricocheting and rebounding.

The shock and noise of that kept them from fully reacting, which was all he needed. Kneeling he let the rifle men fire over his shoulders as he drew a pair of stone bombs from his belt and propelled them forward, on impact they exploded like frag grenades, in fact that's what they were, frag grenades made from rock.

Though out the colony the Alliance slammed into the Slavers, and generally won.

The Batarians just did not have a firm idea what to do about someone who could throw boulders and fire balls, much less doing it with ease.

Also the sheer fire power of the Alliance weapons was hammering them. An Alliance bolt action rifle was chambered to use .50-90, _Kyoshi special _smokeless ammo.

Powerful enough to put a hole a Unagi skull at 20 (short) paces.

If you were shot with it you were NOT coming up back up, which was the whole point. If you shot a bender you want him DEAD instantly before he counter attack, and an armor piercing round could go though 25cm of unhardened stone.

The slavers though, were not amused by these facts.

Rapidly they were thrown back, the small colony had few places to hide, and only a few buildings could shelter them.

Geldin ducked into a building as bullets chewed the air behind him. Glaring he peeked around a corner, only to get slammed by three bullets forcing him back to let his shield recharge.

Those rifles packed a hell of a punch whatever they were.

The building, originally a hab complex was being riddled with bullets and every time a hole was made in the walls due to a thrown rock the surviving slavers used it as a fire port.

Geldin could see the writing on the wall. He gazed longingly at one of the shuttles, but there was to much open ground between it and him. He took a breath and strengthened the kinetic field around him with his biotics.

Ducking out of cover again, and this time he had timed it so that most of them were working their bolts so this time he had the time to not shoot, but to throw a, throw.

Lunching it he sent three men flying into a wall, his smile lasted about as long as the fire ball that almost hit him. He ducked at the last second.

Glaring Geldin looked at the shuttle again. It was already loaded with the slaves all chained together.

Now though, now they would never get off planet with them.

Geldin took aim. Thanks to the angle he could hit the shuttle, but not get shot at in return.

He took aim with his rifle, thought about it, and then switched an shot gun charging the carnage up.  
He then took aim (again) and fired the blare of red energy moved almost too fast for the eye to follow and the energy impacted the front of the shuttle shredding steel and doing who knows what to the inside.

Smiling he was about to draw his rifle to start pounding it again, only for a dingy brown stone wall to rise from the earth around it keeping it from harm.

Roaring in rage at again being denied. Geldin emotions were cut short by a lightning bolt impacted the metal side wall he was leaning against sending an electrical shock wave though it.

Shuddering as his muscles went wild Geldin stumbled backwards stunned. Moments latter a boat heel went into his vision.

A dark haired male Asair was standing over him, bullets impacted his shield but it was not enough.

Violent sweeping motion he filled the building with fire, and Geldin knew only great pain.

And nothing more.

SHIFT

Malk shoved the wall of fire forward, as always the cries of pain were loud as was the fear of being burned alive.

Fire benders tended to skew to the highly mentally disturbed for a good reason.

Wincing at the reek, he finished and let the flames die, when there were no more cries.

Taking a breath he paused as he listened to the sounds.

There were none.

They had won the battle. But they may be in a war.

O joy.

In the aftermath the troops were suppose to rally in the center of the town.

But he was going to check the shuttle out first. Stepping out of the Charnel house Malk gave a shout to, what he hoped was one of their three earth benders.

"Can you drop the rock wall?" shrugging the bender spun, took a stance with his arms high then lowered them and with the grinding of rock the wall fell.

"Much obliged." Malk responded and walked toward the shuttle.

It was MUCH more advance then an alliance version. Shuttles fell with mass effect dampening field for the first couple thousand feet or so until the rotators blades could catch on the air and for large loads they had to rely on space elevators supported by massive, mass effect fields to get onto and off a planet.

Fumbling around he tried to find a latch to open the side of it. Finally he found it.

With a hiss the shuttle doors opened up unfolding sideways with such speed it surprised him. Instinctively he prepared a fireball in his right hand.

He instantly he let it die once he got a good look inside.

The civilians were there, chained to the wall. Two of them were dead, killed by whatever had punched though the hull of the shuttle splattering most of the survivalers with their blood.

As soon as they saw him they all flinched away from the strange alien.

For a moment Malk was frozen. He then took a breath and walked forward toward the nearest civilian. Though he knew he or she, or even it, did not understand him he made it a point to speak softly, and calmly like you were dealing with a wild Saber-tooth moose lion. "Its ok, I'm here to help.

The alien still squirmed away. Sighing he lit his had up form a short jet of fire. The man froze in fear and everyone else did as well.

Carefully he took the jet of flame and sliced a metal chain apart the links dripping hot metal on the floor, though he was quite carefully to make sure none of it got on anyone. When the chain was sheered though he backed away slightly as the civilian found he could move his hands again.

Malk smiled hoping that he was smiling and not bearing his teeth.

The alien seed to understand and did his own pale imitation of a smile back.

"Right then." He reformed the jet of flame. "Who's next?"


	4. Earth: Space contact

**_Here we go. let me know what you guys think  
_**

**_Also i'll take a pause to try and do some work on my other storys, really firggen behind. damn my 5 second attention span.  
_**

**_EDIT: DOH! i made the ammunition as big as the ship!  
_**

* * *

"Exiting FTL in 84 seconds." An Ensign chimed in the command bridge at the nose of the Ba Sing Se class heavy cruiser Spring Wind.

Rear Admiral Norebank stood in the center over seeing the command of the ship. Banks of computers each with an Ensign in front of them watching the readings stretched before him.

"Something troubling you Rear Admiral?" Norebank turned to face Avatar Kelin who had walked behind him.

The tall man had a snow white beard and hair. He looked ancinet, though that was decpetive, with his steel staff alone he could metal bend the crusier into a pretzel.

"A little sir. Last communication we got said they was some kind of confict."

"Everthing happens for a reason Admiral." Kelin commented "We shall see how this plays out. How ever I trust the men on the ground to not start anything. Merly finish it if it is started."

"I wish I could share you confidnce sir." Norebank commented.

"Exiting FTL in 15 seconds."

"We shall find out soon enough." Kelin commented.

With a slightly jarring sensation the Cruiser dropped from FTL.

The planet was below them, and before them?

A Cruiser of some kind.

"That must be the ship of the people we engaged." Norebank commented. "Begin broad cast: first contact package one." Made by the best linguistics from Ba Sing Se University and the University of the United Republic of Nations (U-URN) the first contact package was designed to make learning a language easy and simply, in theory it had never been used before.

SHIFT  
The Batarian Raider (as the STG intelligence called it) class cruiser was a well-built piece of shit.

Compared to a Turian ship of similar weight class the Raider was inferior in almost ever respect, save one, cargo room for captured slaves.

Because of the room that had to be put away for the 'cargo' the ships main gun was inferior to anything in their weight class.

But in its role off a slaver and raider it was ideal. Also, a hidden facet of the ship allowed it to win in conflicts with lager ships.

The slaves onboard. Only a few race were willing to kill them to destroy the ship allowing the ship to fight back and win forcing enemies to board it to win. An extraordinarily hard task in modern space combat. As they knew it.

Captain Yulmin growled. The ground team had been away far too long. It had been over a day since they last had contact, and he was worried. The longer they stayed the more likely the Turians were to arrive.

Then a sensor blared a warning as a cruiser sized ship left FTL almost thousand kilometers in front of them.

Crewmembers began to work sensor boards as soon as possible.

Something was off though; Yulmin could tell that right away, a Turian ship would have started guns blazing trying to score a stunning blow or sending a warning.

Instead an odd signal of gibberish was being transmitted across the radio spectrum.

"Some one shut that off." Yulmin ordered first. When the gibberish stopped being piped though the speakers he gave his second command.

"Now what kind of ship is that?" He pivoted away from the main view screen to a holo-projecter. The scan information was being piped in and in a few moments the computer would compile it together to form the ship's image.

The image the formed was the oddest ship he head ever seen.

458 meters long by, 68 meters wide, it was long shaped roughly like a box with a bulk on the rear the was the enignes. Also it had odd ridges of interlock plates across the side, it looked like a combination of battle ship and a temple.

"That, thing, can't be a warship." Yulmin concluded, other officers did the same. Too, odd looking, and there did not even appear to be a spinal gun mount.

"Orders sir?" a crew mate asked. Yulmin looked at the ship again, that much detain work, could be a passenger liner. He licking his lips greedily. "Lets take it."

SHIFT

"The vessel is turning toward us." A Ensign said.

"All hands go to battle stations." Norebank ordered a wailing klaxon blared sending any one not already there to there stations.

"Torpedos?" he asked.

"All loaded portside." A Ensign confirmed, a second piped up. "All loaded starboard."

"Damage control?"

"All teams at there stations." An ensign called back.

"We are as ready as we will ever get." Norebank commented.

SHIFT

"Main gun in range in T-minus 12 seconds." Yulmin nodded at the computer confermaion."

"On command fire." He said.

"T-minus 5,4,3,2,1 main gun in range."

As soon as the VI had insturcted that the gun was in range Yulmin had it fired.

SHIFT

A blare of blue light fired and impacted the sheilds.

"Shields down to 90!"

"Fireing solution: Plotted! Portside battery requests permission to fire at will!"

"Permission granted." Norebank ordered.

Across the port of the ship torpeddo doors slid open and 25 meter long rockets with a three meter diamtier, were lunched.

The rockets were popped free of the ship at a reltivly low speed, but then the rocket fully kicked to life once they had thrown them selves clear and then they accelrated to reach the mach 40

In the Torepdo bay teams of water benders went to work useing hydrolic force to work pistons to get the next volley into place.

Back on the command bridge Ensigns gave this information to Norebank. "Torpeods away, ETA 45 seconds. ETA to next volley, 15 seconds."

The main gun of the now hostile ship roared again.

"Sheilds down to 78 percent!"

SHIFT

The enemy ship so far seemed to be running away.

It had yet to present it main gun at them, if it had one, or close to use it smaller ones. It was just running across there beam.

_Good for them we could shoot them more_. Yulmin chuckled. The ships side ripped again another flare of sparks from it side, fireworks or somthing? Hell if he knew.

A few seconds later, eactly 15. The HE-KI (high explosvie kentic impactor) impacted.

The armor pirceing warhead (made from steel shaped into a cone with ridges of depleated uranium. The whole thing harded and formed by expert metal benders into one solid piece) slamed into the ship shielding, and the instant stop triggered the high explosvie that was most of the payload, throwing the steel forward, and this time it was inside the sheild envolope.

The steel armor pentraing cone roared forward impacting the hull hard, cracking and sending fragment though space.

15 seconds later, volley two impacted.

30 seconds later, volley three impacted.

45 second later, vollety four impacted breaking the sheilds by timing the explosive to go off before they hit the sheilds.

60 seconds later volley five impacted, diging into the hull then exloading driveing the massive armor pentrating cones into the hull of the ship.

SHIFT

"All torepdos batterys, Cease fire." Norebank ordered. Stick a fork in it, that ship was done.

"Ready boarding teams." As the went out he turned to avatar Kelin "Do you wish to join them."

"No, I have a task on the planet if you recall. The sooner I get down there, the sooner we can begin to communicate."

"Docking bay!" he orderd. "Prepare a shuttle."

"Thank you Norebank, I wish you good fortunit."

"Thank you Avatar, I dobut we will need it though." Norebank replyed.

Kelin shook his head saddly and walked away. "I have one of those nagging suspicsion, somthing is wrong."

The ship was large, but the hanger bay was not that far from the bridge so it did not take all that long for Kelin to get to the bay.

Hanging in mid air in the center of the bay was both the boarding shuttles and the landing shuttles.

The land shuttle had an angular hull shaped like a very large sedan, even though it was three times as large. Where the wheels were suppose to be, and out of the center of the frame, though there were struts that supported a pair of counter rotating helicopter blades, for at total of 12 blades on six struts.

The boarding shuttle on the other hand was shaped like a elbow leach, expect it did not stick to elbows.

The front of the round tube had grippers to latch onto the ship, and then a metal bender had to rip though the metal. All together it was large enough for 14 men, four of which had to be fire benders to propel the thing.

The shuttles were already loaded and they were waiting for him.

"Avatar!" a pilot shouted from the landing shuttle a gang way was extended from a wall and hooked up with the shuttle so the rest of his bodyguard had to be there already.

"Were ready to depart!"

Gathering the air under him he jumped up to the gang plant, ignoring the elevator and wrap around cat walk around the room landing on the 13 meter high plank with ease.

"I'm sorry to keep you waiting." The pilot nodded and went to the pilot seat at the far end of the shuttle.

Unlike the boarding shuttle, which opened on the side, only the back of the landing shuttle opened, the pilot sat in the front.

Entering he nodded to his escorts who had beaten him here.

"You always late." Salk muttered.

"The Avatar is never early nor late, he always arrives exactly when he needs to." Kelin commented and sat down next to her.

"The Avatar is going to have his ass kicked if he does not arrive on time." She countered sharply. "We five minutes late, therefore the boarding team is five minutes late."

Kelin chuckled "Relax Salk, I know you frustrated but taking it out on my will not help things."

"Easy for you to say." She snapped back "I should be on paid leave tanning on a beach back on earth."

"Indeed, well I am glad they cut you leave short. For what it's worth I can think of few individuals I rather work with then you." she snorted and drew one of her ceremonial, but still functional, battle fans and started to sharpen the edge.

"I could be drinking Sake on a beach and your glad I'm here." She scoffed and stayed silent for the rest of the drop.

Alarm klaxons blared and the bay was soon emptied of life. Then the air was pumped out and in a few minutes, the bay had no air either.

Then the bottom of the bay slide open unlike like a clam as two armor plates folded away from each other. The landing shuttle and twin boarding shuttles fell toward the planet until they were away from the ship.

With a flash of fire bending the boarding shuttles peeled away to the defeated alien ship.

The landing craft fell toward the planet picking up speed until it reach the point which it could safely fall from any height without friction burn making it burn up like a meteor. At which point mass effect field activatesand it would fall no faster.

Even though the mass effect fields one could feel the shuttle shudder as the atmosphere thicken around it.

This would take a couple hours before they were low enough for the rotator to catch on the air.

Kelin reached into a pocket on his robes and drew a small book with a blue gemstone set into the cover.

"What are you reading sir?" an inquisitive escort said.

"You read conspiracy theories much?" surprised the escort shook her head.

"Just as the president has a book form all previous presidents, so to does that avatar. Korra's idea, I quite like it, word direct from the last avatar."

"So, why are you reading it now?" She asked.

"I need to read up on something." He said cryptically.


	5. Earth: speaking role

It had been a couple days since the rescue of the village.

So far the Turians as they had dubbed themselves had stared at them and they had stared back.

The staring only got worse when some one did bending. Like when Malk lit a campfire for some tea.

Right now the young alien was looking at him curiously.

Malk pulled his hand away from the campfire, then lit his fingers and on fire forming a perfect globe of flame. The kid's eyes went wide.

He then tossed the flame from hand to hand his eyes following it.

"What are you doing Malk?" a non-bender trooper asked.

"Showing off a little." The respond came back. He tossed the ball up in the air and let it fall back into the other.

"You know, I don't think they can bend." Malk commented as he turned the ball into a hoop and spun it on his fingers.

"We know that or they would have defended themselves."

"I meant at all, as a species. Look at this guys eyes." The kid, and more then a few adults' eyes were lit up watching him, following the hoop of fire.

In a sudden moved he turned it into a ball and threw it to the ground and let it spawn into a small fire.

"Just cause they can't fire bend does not mean they can't bend at all." A trooper commented.

The loud whooping sound that herald a shuttle began, softly but it was still far." Malk let the fire die.

"That must be the Avatar!" Malk shouted.

The kid only looked confused by the word and how excited he was.

The shuttle flew close looking for a clear spot to land, the six rotors kicking sand and loose objects from the ground as it hovered. After a minute the shuttle settled in a clearing on the out skirts of the town.

Rotors still turning the shuttle landed. The first one out was avatar Kelin, followed by a peeved Salk. "I get off first!" she hissed.

"At ease Salk, I am the avatar with full shielding. It would take an anti tank rifle to kill me before I could respond."

Salk grumbled.

"Life only gets harder." She growled.

As Kelin approached he was quickly intercepted by a group of army troopers led by Major Gem.

"Avatar Kelin!" he saluted, "I was led to believe you would be landing back at the base."

"You were, I decided to land here. If I were to land at the base I would have to sit though a briefing before getting here, a waste of time under the best of conditions."

Salk glared at Kelin as the rest of the bodyguards exited the shuttle. She was not happy about the change in plan.

"Do you have a live captive?" Kelin asked.

"A few sir. As per orders we have not fed them for fear of killing them."

"Harsh, but necessary, take me to one."

Gem nodded and let the small procession though the base into a small earth bended structure that was set to one side of the village. The building had no doors, the only way out was earth bending, the building was also roof less but to keep it from becoming a hot box a number of holes were made in the walls.

A pair of earth bender out side the building were standing guard, the two were chatting to themselves.

"On guard." Gem said loudly. The two came at attention.

"Drop the wall." Gem said. The two earth benders nodded, turned to the wall and with a violent stomp a wall sunk into the earth.

Gem, Salk, and Kelin entered the building. There were five of the four-eyed alien lounging on the ground, some sporting burn and bullet wounds. As one they glared at the new arrivals.

"So, you have a plan Avatar?" Gem asked. Kelin nodded, with a rapidly arm move a pillar of rock rose from the ground trapping on of the aliens.

As one the others made a move to rush him, only to have there feet sink into the earth.

"What are you doing?" Gem said nervously.

"I need to touch one." He walked up to the now panicking alien.

He placed his hands on the sides of his head, the struggling stopped instantly.

For a long minute there was no reaction then he let go and took the rock wall way with a hand move.

The alien grumbled something, and Kelin responded in the exact same langue. The shocked and slacked jaw look on the aliens face spoke volumes

"What did you do?" Salk asked

"The brain is a mass of water, with chemical electrical impulses for thoughts. A combination of energy bending, lighting bending and blood bending and I was able to read his mind."

"You can do that?" Gem said surprised suddenly aware of the vast gulf between him and the Avatar.

"Yes." Kelin said with a nod and a beard stroke. "I've been practicing as well. I knew there was a chance I would be the avatar to make first contact with an alien race so I practiced the technique. The problem was getting the other race to let me touch their head. Convenient we have prisoners."

One of the aliens snapped something. Kelin responded by lighting his hand on fire and commenting harshly. That shut the alien up.

"Let us hope the two aliens races speak the same language." Gem said.

SHIFT

Ajen watched as a group of the, humans entered the stone prison they had, built.

He shook his head, these humans were, impossible.

Sighing Ajen leaned against the wall of what was left of a building, bullet holes pricking into his back.

He was far from alone. Another man, Jlmin. Stood nearby.

"So what do you make of these humans?"

"If I could talk to them I would tell you." Ajen commented.

"I would sell my left lung to know how they do, that." He gestured hopelessly at the stone prison.

"You too?" Jlmin asked.

The rock wall fell again and that new hairy arrival exited. He spoke some words to the others near him and then walked over toward them.

"Great, think he's going to show off?" Ajen asked. It was fun the first couple times, but after a couple days it was annoying.

He approached them and spoke, Turian! "Greetings." Jaws dropped.

"You understand us! How?" Ajen said shooked.

"In good time. My name is Avatar Kelin." He half bowed. "Is perhaps the governor, or mayor of this village still alive?"

Jlmin ducted back into the building to find him.

Ajen after a moment of being stunned found his voice. "how do you do the, fire and, rock, and things!"

"How do you breath?" Avatar said simply.

Before Ajen could ask the next question, Mayor Qulmin arrived.

Avatar turned to face the new comers, a small crowd was gathering.

"I am mayor Qulmin and on behalf of the colony, or what's left of it, we thank you avatar."

"Kelin, avatar is my title." The now named Kelin spoke. "And before I go any further there are things we need to know."

"Such as?" A somewhat nervous Qulmin commented the as the human begun to stroke his face hair.

"Did we declare war on some one? What about you? Are you rebels? Illegal settlers? Did we break up a police operation? What did we get into?"

Qulmin chuckled. "I can assure you, that you did the right thing. Those batarian were slavers; in attacking them you have the full backing of the entire citideal council."

"Forgive me if I don't take you at your word, you are one person. But still that does relive me." Kelin smiled.

"Do you have a way to allow us to speak? A translator perhaps?' Kelin asked. "So far only I can speak to you, and I wish to have all humans do so."

"How can only be able to speak." He lifted his hand and a lighting bolt danced between his thumb and fingers. "bending."

"That's what you call it?"

"Yes." Kelin answered. "How long till your nation's fleet arrives?"

"A few days, we sent a message soon after you saved us."

"We can't waste time then." Kelin commented. "Let's get the translator working."

SHIFT  
The boarding shuttle pushed though the void, guided by bursts of fire bending. The ruined hulk of the destroyed ship was in front of them.

Inside a team of two metal benders, 12 non-benders and the four fire benders who powered the thing sat in the hard vacuum of space.

The shuttle pulsed forward slowly, it partner heading to the bow while this one went aft.

In the front, the lead metal bender of the team, Captain Kauko flexed board in her heavy steel armor.

She was just about to take a nap when with a jolting impact the shuttle impacted the target.

Kauko spoke over the squad radio. "Alright gents we have no idea what's waiting for us, assume no atmosphere and hostiles, if it has a weapon plug it."

She then turned to the shuttle.

Shutters closed, making the thing was air tight, assuming there was an atmosphere in side it would not leak back out. She then focused on the grippers out side the shuttle, four arms made of purified, magnetized lodestone clicked forward and latched onto the ships hull.

Now that it was all hooked up she then focused on the wall in front of her. The iron nose of the shuttle parted easily enough, but when she tried to grip the ships hull, her fingers skittered off.

Frowning she pressed her palms to the hull of the ship, eyes closed she took a pistol from her belt and fired into the metal, she then felt for the vibrations.

Inside her helmet she sucked in her breath. This metal was purer then anything she had ever seen before. Metal bending had advanced with metal forming techniques but still, this was purer then anything she had ever dealt with. She was unsure she could bend it.

Which was a MAJOR problem for the alliance. 3/5 of their space tactics involved getting benders on to the enemy ship to wreck some havoc and metal benders were the key.

Able to turn the enemy ship against the defenders they were the ones who made sure a small team COULD win against an entire ship worth of benders and soldiers with superior tactics and by navigate hull breaches.

It was why the alliance tended to make all of the loose items in a ship, like chairs and tables, out of wood, and plastic. So metal benders would not have more ammunition to throw at the defenders.

But if she could not get in to the ship all that was naught.

"We have a problem Kauko?" her co bender Lieutenant Jiro asked over the radio.

"Maybe, did you feel how pure the metal was?"

"Yes unfortunately, but you're a much better bender them Me."

"Maybe not good enough, give me a moment."

She focused on the metal. All metal, even purified was born from the earth. Only the akali metals, alkaline earth metal, the metalloids, non-metals, Element zero, and anything even slightly radioactive refused to bend. Even mercury would bend (though that took lessons from a water bender to get the exact technique right.)

This was none of those; it was born of the earth just as much as iron was, treated by fire, and reborn new.

To truly metal bend require learning about fire, to understand what changed heated rock into iron, and iron to steel.

But this was an entirely different order of magnitude. Comparing this to steel was like comparing mud to glacial water.

Focusing hard she slammed her palms into the metal, it buckled inward, not as much as she wanted but enough to be called bending.

"This may take awhile." She muttered and slammed it again harder, it took 16 more impacts to truly drive the metal inward enough to form a gap.

It took seven more hit to make it large enough for the team to enter.

The whole ship was a mess, wires, cargo, shrapnel and the occasional body floating with no gravity and no atmosphere.

Kauko reached down and quickly drew the almost silly gun on her hip; a twin barreled 50-90 Gaoling pattern submachine gun.

Only the fact she was a metal bender, with metal armor, allowed her to use it.

In close quarters the massive brick of metal was an abomination. Quickly she activated her mass effect belt applying a gravitation field to let her walk.

The others did the same. Kauko slammed her palm against the wall, and did very slight bendings to it, just enough to send vibrations though the ship in code to the other team.

**"Team two: In. Team one: status?"**

The reply came back, faint, but it was there.

"Team one: not in. Metal issues. Will return to base in 1 half. Proceeded."

Kauko nodded and waved her team forward each step magnified by the artificial gravity forcing their feet to the ground.

It was a ghost ship there was no sound save the vibrations that went though there own hard suits, each step rung clanging loudly though there hard suits.

Again, Kauko placed her hand on the hull of the ship, and fired a pistol round next into the metal. Feeling the vibrations she plotted the shape of the ships interior.

"This way, there's a cargo room just ahead of us." She called over the squad radio. After taking a right turn they found a short hallway with a closed door at the end.

Applying her fists to the door, she grunted and the pure metal slid back along it rails sliding into the ceiling.

She the almost vomited into her helmet at what was reveled.

Bodies, lots of bodies, floating, hanging in the atmosphere-less space.

All of the body's dead from decompression, and all of them had chains around here necks, some had died in there cells, and the were still there lofted by the lack of gravity.

None of the bodies were familiar, all were unknown aliens and all of them were killed by the Alliance armor buster torpedoes.

You could even see one of the warheads at the back of the 'cargo' bay most of the dusts in the air were fragments from the hole and the warhead that had shattered apart upon impact.

For a moment the squad was silent then Kauko spoke softly "Sprits guide you." Then to the rest of the squad. "Move out I think it safe to say, there are no survivors." Her tone spoke volumes.

Either there were no survivors, or there soon would be, no survivors.


	6. Earth: War and Peace

**_I know, i know. I'm sorry for how slow the update took, yet here it is!_**

**_by the way, i have no idea what the people of Avatar call the other planets in there solar system, so i used a shout out, catch it if you can._**

* * *

Turians could go though swings of emotions as wide and wild as any other race.

Turian admiral Julistin went though them so fast his soul had wipe lash.

First it was fear: are colony had been attacked!

Then it was relief: o god there still alive.

Then anger: How dare they attack us, and then confusion: who the heck thought it was a good idea to colonize there on the edge of the Terminus!

Then fear again: o god a first contact saved us! WHo knows what could go wrong!

Then disbelief? They can do what?

Julistin shook his head and turned away from the computer screen.

His heavy cruiser, Zweihänder, (It actually name was more akin to a Gurgling chirping if one was to say it aloud, but it translated to a type of two handed sword of which Zweihänder sounds best) which was just about as close as one could legally get to a dreadnought without BEING a dreadnought, was burning it drive core to get there as fast as it could.

Julistin had many questions for these humans, ranging from how they got there, and how many were on THEIR planet.

But still he was welcome they were there. He knew quite well what would have happened with out them.

"Sir: exiting FTL in three minutes." Julistin was lifted out of his contemplations and face the intercom.

"I'm coming up to the bridge." He said curtly and then left his cabin and made for the bridge.

Three minutes later the warship left the glow of Mass effect fields and dropped into normal space.

The only thing in orbit was a mangled Slaver ship, the mangler, was out of sight until they knew they would not be shot on sight.

Safe, paranoid, but safe.

Julistin thought his course of action out.

Normal first contact protocols assumed a contact with an orbital ship. Not a ground-to-ground, face-to-face meeting until they understood the language.

Seems the humans have skipped that first step though and he would have to meet them on the ground as well.

"Prep a shuttle and a ground team." He ordered. As ranking officer he Legally had to make the contact.

SHIFT

The Turian shuttle pushed though the atmosphere. Worlds apart from the primitive copter, thing the Alliance used, the shuttle hummed as it descended downward gavity repeling it upward.

A large area out side the colony had been cleared and the shuttle settled next to the odd, propelled abomination that sat on the edge of the feild, the thrusters kicking up a small cloud of dust as it settled in place.

A door on the slide slid open and Admiral Julistin left it along with a pair of biotic special forces as body guards, they were met by a pair of aliens.

They both looked like male Asair, the one on the right was dressed in orange robes and held a wooden staff. He was bald with arrow tatoos across his head and hands.

The one on the left had green clothing studded with metal armor plates along the arms and legs, a flat wide brimmed green hat and a steel staff. His facial fur was the stuff of legends.

The one on the left walked forward and spoke in Turian, or rather his translator took his words and spat out Turian. "On behalf of the Alliance I, Avatar Kelin am honored to meet a representative of the Turian Hierarchy."

"I, am equally honored." Julistin said back some one taken aback by the formal greeting.

"Now, forgive my bluntness, but I must know, are we at war with any one?"

"Not that I'm aware off." Julistin replied with a smile. "The Batarain government officially denounces 'violent' slavers, and the council denounces and goes to war with any slaver. So you are in the clear."

"That is a load off of my back." Kelin said with a smile. He then turned the man beside him in orange go tell General Chand there will be peace and to put the base at ease."

"Yes avatar." The other human said spinning his staff like a propel blade till a set of paper and wooden wings unfurled from the sides.

"You can't expect to be able to," Julistin was cut off when the man turned around took a flying leap into the air, a puff of wind blew him upward and he flew away. "Fly." He said softer surprised as he watched the alien fly away, laughing at gravity.

"Only air benders can." Kelin said with a smile. "I must admit, I prefer keeping my feet on the earth."

Julistin watched the flying alien till he faded from sight. He then turned his gaze back on the Avatar.

"This all still does not explain why you even have a base so close to one of are colonies?"

"Other way around. You built a colony close to are base." Kelin countered. "A base we are fully prepared to withdraw over a three Terran month period."

"I see." Julistin said takeing the fact in.

"Also, General Chand does not fully trust you yet and has in the name of caution had a pair of Zuko pattern light scout tanks embraced into the nearby wood land." Kelin then pointed the short squat, black iron tanks out from where there camo netting had hid them.

"Those are some odd tanks." Julistin commented as a visor slid acoss his face and the thermal lay out of the tanks filled his vission.

"They should be, there the oldest designs in are army, almost 600 years old, and still fully functional."

"I see, have you made any changes over the years?" Julistin asked trying to get a handle on the Alliance military ability.

"When we invented the Machine guns they were promptly added, mass effect fields followed after we found the ruins on Barsoon. The Mai class of tank has a Saito engine standard I pattern 8 cylinder that can pull of almost 80 Ostrichhorse power."

"Back up." Julistin said after a moment. "You invented the machine gun, then added them to your preexisting tank."

"Is that unusual?" Kelin asked confused.

"Very." Julistin answered. Silence stretched, then Kelin coughed into his hand. "Well, what now?"

Julistin chuckled. "This is the part of the contact most sociologist call just that, the awkward phase when nether side knows what to do next. Politically we do know what to do I do have some document for you to look over, but not as individuals. I don't suppose you allow me to view this army camp your technically placed on are territory?"

"I see little reason why not, though I am sure General Chand disagrees, but I do not. If your culture is anything like ours any information you can find by just walking though one of are bases could be found on your internet equivalent." Kelin smiled.

"Tell me, how well do you ride?"

SHIFT

Sub captain Qumek of the Zweihänder was privet communicating with the Allinace cruiser Spring Wind.

Turns out they had a lot in common.

They were on the subject of complaining about politicians when alarms on the more advance Zweihänder started to blare.

"Sir! Five Cruiser sized Boxes are incoming!" Rear Admiral Norebank overheard the odd slang over there communication link.

"Boxes?" he asked.

"A group of ships made of mismatched parts, a box of scraps hammered together in a cave."

"Are they hostile?"

"Boxes are made exclusively by pirates and others with out proper ship yards, I will begin broadcasting to them, but they may see the chance to take the Zweihänder a chance with taking."

"Give us fire coordinates."

"What?" Norebank asked.

"Were behind the moon out of line of sight. We can sling are torpedoes around the moon using its gravity to accelerate the round even faster, but we need directions."

"How long would it take for them to be on target?" Qumek asked slightly impressed. Indirect fire was considered some what of a dream in space battle. The problem was getting a round fast enough to damage a ship, but slow enough to steer. Rockets had the power, but they were too slow to get on target.

If the Alliance got this to work,, well space battle has just gotten more intresting.

"Targeting computers are still spitting it out, but assuming you have not moved from you geo-syc over your colony we can get a barrage of AP shots in six minutes to you."

"How do we coordinate fire?" Qumek asked Disappointed.

"Give us a coordinate map, and were lunch torpedoes for a couple different trajectories and let the torpedoes internal programming take over."

"How good are they?" Qumek asked.

"Not sure, to be honest this is only the second time we have ever actually had to fire are torpedoes on a hostile."

"Joy, rookies." Qumek muttered turning the mic off for a moment before turning it back on. "How good are they in testing?"

"Fairly, we tore that other ship apart fairly quickly."

"Well, were soon see. Sending you the coordinates now."

SHIFT

On the Spring wind Norebank watched as numbers filed across as screen and images appeared on targeting boards.

The incoming ships were nothing but dots on a map, but that was enough for them to shoot at were they were GOING to be, assuming they kept to there line.

"Firing solution A plotted." An ensign said, that would be if the enemy ships fired at there maximal range. Solution B and C soon followed, B was a maximal effective range closer then A, and C was if they closed to knife fighting range.

"Three volley shot volley along Solution A: shield burst. Same orders for Solution B and C." out side of the ship the side of the vessel side open and a hail of large rockets left the ships.

The first stage boosters accelerating them, the second stage would kick in for maneuvering once they had Gravity boosted around the moon, the third stage would send the AP warhead out to mess with some one day some were.

This Cruiser had already been moving when it fired and the speed of the ship joined the speed of the launch and in theory, would combine with the speed of the target to make a truly incredible impact.

"All power to engines." He ordered. "ETA to contact?"

"At current rate: enemy ships will make contact with the,,," he struggled for a moment before slapping a name they understood to it. "Zweihänder, in 1.68 minutes, spirits there fast." He commented. Though Norebank agreed they were fast, far faster then anything the Alliance had it was unprofessional and the ensign quickly corrected. "Torpedo ETA 2.04 minutes. Cruiser ETA 3.74 minutes at current rate."

"Call engineering." He ordered he waited a moment. Then engineering called over the intercom.

"Engineering officer Kawasaki speaking."

"I need all the power you can get form the engine." The Alliance, unlike the council races, lacked atomic and antimatter power.

They made up for it by making parts of there ships hull of a alloy of element zero and then pumping a electrical current though the hull, a system more efficient then the single massive core the council used.

But the engines were pieces of crap by council standards.

Ming pattern ion engines were notable for there weak thrust and high efficiency. They made up there lack of power with high-grade chemical booster rockets, for emergencies.

So to generate power for the engines and subsystems Alliance used a combination that any council race member would have laughed at if you suggested it for a warship.

Lighting benders, Solar panels, and Steam engines. A combination that could deliver a truly anemic amount of power compared to the council and only the Element zero alloyed hulls allowed them to be able to move at all.

The heat for the engines came from vast deposits of liquid gas burners (pure oxygen and liquid natural gas), sun heated mirror arrays, and fire benders aboard military ships.

Civilian ships used either fire benders or a sun heated array of mirrors to light along with the weaker, and cheaper Malone engine (which the military did not use as they worked too slowly as compared to the rapid build up of power of a steam engines)

As of now they needed to dump more heat into the steam engines to get more emergency power.

"Put the burners on full strength!" he ordered. "Red line the engines! We will get a refit after this mission but right now turbo those engines!" after a moment of thought he walked over to a railing and held on tight. "Engage the boosters rockets!"

Alarms rang across the ship as crew braced themselves, gripping handholds, tying themselves down or digging there feet into the hull for metal benders.

The rockets at the rear of the ship ignited. The bolted on tubes of fuel roared and consumed almost a ton of fuel each second, in fact the rockets were little more then a reused design from the Yue moon program.

After expending their fuel the bolted on rockets were jettisoned by secondary charges streaming the rear of the ship as most of the extra bulk fell away.

"ETA?" Norebank asked as he let go of the railing. The reply came back quick. "ETA:2.82 minutes."

"Sir! Gunnery recommends another torpedoes lunch with are increased speed!"

"Agreed: two volleys along each track vector." The ship shuddered as it torpedoes parted with the ship.

SHIFT

The Zweihänder had ordered the incoming pirate ships to yield, they had not. They were coming in slowly, saving there power for when the battle was truly joined.

Rookies. Real solder's would have come in fast and given them no time to prepared. Admittedly they may not have know they were not their ally the Humans had destroyed.

"Communications: contact admiral Julistin, three unyielding hostile boxes. Combat imminent: will make contact following engagement. End message.

"Sir: main gun in range." Gunnery called. He gave the order. "Fire at will."

The ship shuddered as the massive gun sent a mass effect round the size of a fridge flying out the muzzel at hyper speeds. It impact the shield of the lead ship and the fight was on.

The two other pirate ships fired in sync followed by the hit vessel. The three rounds impacted Zweihänder shields, heavy rounds shattering upon impact, the mighty heavy cruiser shuddered under the impacts, shaking as force impacted.

"Sir! shields down 20 percent!" a ensign called, then another barrage of impacted rolled across the shield even as the heavy cruiser responded with it's own gun flashing across the dark of the aether.

"Not bad for boxes." Qumek commented dryly as another flashing bombardment rocked across the ships.

"How are they firing so fast?" Qumek said slightly worried.

"Sir. The shots seem to be slower then there total tonnage would suggestion. Current working guess they have two weapons along there spinal mount." the ship shuddered another impact. They out put a lot of damage, but likely over heat faster and are far from efficient." Qumek snorted. All of the Turian twin barrel ships had been phased out of service long ago, for just the reason he had mentioned.

But the design worthless.

With another thundering flash the Zweihänder flared its main gun, and got three more shots for its trouble,

"Shields down to 20 percent sir!" a ensign said.

"All crew brace for hull impacts." Qumek called, a striking barrage of impacts blew across the shield, one or two hammering the hull.

"Damage," before he could finish brief flashes lit up space around the enemy boxes.

With massive explosions cones of armor penetrating metal were sent on there finally course adjustment and impacted the pirate ships, shields flared as impacts roared across the hull. 15 seconds latter another volley impacted the ships, then a third.

Light and fire screamed across the void as bolted on rockets upon the front of the ship screamed and the Spring wind ceased it's forward movement to a more reasonable speed.

Within the torpedo launchers were reloaded, and close quarters cannon bullets were loaded.

A slab of blasting jelly, a large bullet and the ship broadsided it's 15 main guns to each side.

With thundering strobe flashes the guns roared across the void hammering all ready weakened shields and hulls, and hidden among the thunder and the flash boarding torpedoes.

"Sir!" a Ensign called from aboard the Zweihänder called.

"Message from the Spring wind: they say there putting boarding teams on the enemy ships so they want us to cease fire."

"Very well, give us a chance to cool are engines and build are shields back up: Gunnery cease fire!" Qumek ordered. "Let see what these humans do."

SHIFT

"Raise, the shields!" the Batarian captain called from one of the pirate ships. As his life span is to about to be measured in seconds, we shall not bother to put his name down.

"Fire guns! Where did this ship come from! What hit us and,," before he could rant further, a loud banging noise cut him off.

The entire crew looked around for the sound, it happened again, the sound ringing though the hull like a bell. They looked up to see a ever widening dent in the ceiling.

"What is that?" the captain asked.

Seconds later the metal was peeled back like a can, he got one look at what was inside, a alien he had never seen before, then it propelled it self into the ship, its hands ablaze with fire.

Landing it swept the room in flame with a sweeping gesture from each arm, burning and scaring all who stood before him in plumes of hot flame.

Behind him a pair of fire benders landed lightly sending hot bursts of flame though the command bridge, then a pair of metal benders crashed down heavy armor ringing with every step.

Kauko sprayed the area with her sub-machine gun. "Squads! Form up and split up keep to you Sargent and move it!"

SHIFT

The ordinance arrays across each side of the spring wind fired solid slug rounds across the void, a ship was in-front of them, and to either side as the guns cracked across space.

The ship in front of them pivoted around to face them to bring the main gun into position, as it turned a spray of torpedo, the lighter version used by the council races as compared to Alliance kentic impactors.

Across the nose cone of the Spring wind, small platelets of armor unfolded, sliding apart and small scale point defense turrets emerged.

Each about the size of a car with seven rotating barrels almost six feet long, with high grade (For the Alliance) detection systems the barrels focused on the path of the projectiles, plotted there path, and fired.

The weapons caliber was .90x100, almost a foot long with a immense muzzle speed the bullets were built to chew though heavy bombers and fast fighter, and these torpedo's tripped the sensors.

Roaring soundlessly in the void, though the rapid gun fire sent the hull of the Spring Wind humming, the guns sent forth a bright flash of heat from the muzzle as the rotating gun sent thousand of round a SECOND outward.

The rounds tore the torpedoes apart, waving the strobe beam of light across space like a rapier the space between the ships, the explosions of the torpedoes lighting up the void in flashes of blue element zero.

And unlike anti ship lasers, they did not have heating and accuracy issues. There many barrels allowing the weapon to cool in the vacuum of space, and the many barrels spread the heat among the six tubes of steel.

Every torpedo fired failed to get much closer then a mile, shockingly close for space combat. The spray of short range torpedo volleys stopped when the cruiser in front of them, finely pivoted it's main guns inline with the spring wind, and fired.

The main guns send a torrent of energy from the muzzle, the light preceding, (by less then second) the solid slug that impacted the Spring wind shields.

The Element zero hull projected a small bubble shields, the advantage was rather then one big shield, you had to batter though a half dozen shields, the disadvantage was, the shields were inherently weaker then a single core ship, the shield more slowing a round enough so the armor could take the blow then stopping it out right.

The Spring wind shuddered under the barrage of impacts, "Damage report." Norebank called out.

"Sir forward damage posts report heavy Spall damage, shield arrays along the front axis still fully operational."

The biggest issue Alliance ships had, were that they had no strong fire power along front axis so for the moment the Spring wind had no way to counter to the gun fire that was rolling across it's prow.

They did have a defense, but that was by blazing there point defense weapons into the ship in front of them.

Which they did.

Guns blazing the Spring Wind sent streams of bullets into the shield of the vessel in front of them, trying to bring the shield down with rate of fire.

To very little effect, the shields were too strong to be brought down with what amounted to small arm fire for battle ships.

The cruisers to either side though were quickly falling, not to the Alliance gun fire, which was pathetic and anemic, but the boarding crews, which were not anemic in the least were cutting though the Pirate crews with ease

The two cruisers to each flank had been boarded and were basic a non threat at this point. To be sure the crew were still fighting but gunnery on there part were just about impossible for them given that parts of there gun deck were on fire. (or filled with fire benders, which was the same thing really)

Ion jets flaring the Spring wind turned to a new heading bring it's broad side upon the target cruiser in front of, now beside it. As it turned it brought a new shield arrays between it and the target.

Main guns began to send bullets sailing though the void as fast as they could be sent out with each ringing detonation of propellent, hidden in the fire st storm of high explosive rounds, more then a pair of boarding pods silently began to move toward the enemy ships, propelled by jets of fire bending.

Unnoticed between the crashing main guns of titans the boarding pods dropped below the plain of conflict, and then, with a few puffs of flame the pod slide forward, it target was the Cruisers hull.

Lightly the pod bopped against the steel coating of the ship, as soon as it closed the Spring wind Cease fire to not damage the pod. It was now up to the men and women upon the pod.

Nervously the metal bender pressed his palms against the hull, he head heard how tough this steel was to bend.

Pulling his arms back with a grunt he slammed his palms into the metal. Shaking his hands in pain he noticed the lack of any effect upon the metal.

"Whats the hold up Glenen?" a squad mate asked over the squad radio.

"Bending issues, give me a moment." once more he slammed his palms into the hull in front of him, to no effect. He may as well have been slapping it.

Shaking his hands with a growl Glenen was about to give up and find a softer spot to start hammering when a sudden blast of flame from just behind him impacted the metallic hull.

Flinching back the flame, the bender behind him kept a constant stream of heat upon the hull till it glowed a bright cherry red.

Pulling his hand back he gestured at him to try again, after all, hot metal bent easier then normal metal.

Nodding his thank Glenen slammed his armored gloves into the hull again. This time the metal gave a ring like temple bell caving inward slightly.

"HA!" Glenen said in excitement as the metal slowly twisted and reformed under the brutal metal bending. They were getting in.

SHIFT

The gun deck hammered as the main guns rocked back into it's mounting.

The crew worked a few computers as the kept a the guns on target.

It was, really quite boring as the computers did all the work. There no challenge to there use.

Beeping lightly the computers signaled another blast of the main guns. With another ship wide shudder the main guns roared sending another blasts of depleted uranium across the void.

"man this is sad, they've even stopped shooting back." one of the gunners said as the guns charged for another impact.

"Ya. How wants to bet the boarding crew will get the best loot?"

"I won't touch that. Of course they will. Were be luck to get a single slave out of this."

Before the other Batarian manning a computer could comment back, his face scrunched up, eyes crossing each other, emitting a gargling choke.

"Botn?" the other said looking up from his computer, just in time to see him slump over the holo screen he had been working over, a three knives of blue ice dug a good inch into his brain case, and some kind of male Asair standing by the door behind.

With a pair of quick hand twitches six more knifes were sent whistling though the air.

Ducking low the knifes sliced though where his head was a second ago sparking as they dug into the electronics along the wall.

Quickly he drew a pistol, wondering how the hell he had gotten on this damn ship. He then rushed to a new piece of cover as a hail of razor ice shards chased after him digging into wall and though electronics.

Quickly he emerged from behind a piece of cover to fire his pistol grip two handed, only to have a stream of water impact the tip of the pistol, then freeze, trapping his hands and pistol in a block of ice.

"how the hell are you doing this!" he shouted as he struggled with the ice.

A second blast of water impacted his chest blowing him back, and freezing him to the wall.

The water bender then turned to the main guns that ran the length of the room. Across his belt were a number of water containers, but he had spent a lot of it in freezing the alien to the wall.

Sighing, he reached out to the Batarian, to his blood.

Waters benders had a curious perception in the alliance. On the one hand: healing made them the most beloved members of a town. On the other hand: blood bending made them the most hated for there battle field effects.

Like forcing someones muscles, to snap there own neck. (which incidentally was the only form of lethal blood bending that was not a war-crime)

With a bone crunching snap the Batarains neck twisted two far shattering the bones like glass.

Unfreezing the water pinning him to the wall she let the body slump to the ground then, shifted the water to steam.

Pouring into into the mechanisms and devices till it permuted every inch, he then froze it.

Metal cracked and steel shattered as incompressible water, expanded into rock hard ice.

Sparks flying the guns were now worthless chunks of steel.

Though out the ship stiff Batarian resistances, met hard flowing Alliance warfare.

And the Batarians had no clue what to do.

Had they the proper tactics then the Alliance would not have been as bad as was. As it were? They had no idea how to counter a fire bender sending plumes of flame forward, water benders filling hall ways with water, metal benders covered in thick armor wielding massive guns. (air benders don't fight in ship to ship combat. They don't do enclosed spaces)

The third ship was soon cleared and rendered, a non-hostile.

SHIFT

"Sir" A ensign aboard the Zweihänder said aloud as information poured across the communication suites. "The Alliance ship has reported that all enemy ship shad been neutralized." Qumek stoically nodded at that statement. Seems these humans were tougher then a straight novice race had any right to be.

"Also: Captain Norebank requests all laws regarding salvage rights."

Qumek smiled at that.


	7. Earth: Council

_**I updated,and what a update! **_

_**I'm sorry for the long length of time, but my attention span is so short, not to mention i start collage soon so expect updates in the future to be just as slow. Ergug.**_

_**any way, this chapter has my own person al thoughts abou the mass effect universe, (why humanity was accepted into the council so fast) and avatar universe (how bending works) so let me knwo your thoughts on the subject. also,,, on the sceen with the counclors and the Liner,,,, well that sceen just wrote it's self after I had Kelin lit his hand on fire so forgive me, the universe compled me to write that sceen.**_

_**also: a problem some of you may have noticed: the time line as writen has humality only explaore space for 250 years,,,, long time sure, but not nearly friggen long enough to fit the time scale in place. I'll have to expand that ,but by how much? I request reviews on that please.**_

_**now, onto the stroy!.**_

* * *

Julistin fidgeted slightly in his chair while his fellow admirals went over his reports.

Turian behinds, were not meant for Ostrichhorse back sides. He thought to him self. Hopefully the shifting would not been seen as nerves.

Having experienced the full blast of Alliance culture and biology, especially there 'bending' he had come to the conclusion that much could be gained by corroborating with the, much more inexperienced Alliance, and yet they could do a few things that surprised him.

For example: there ships had the surprising tendency to, burr from sensors. They did not become invisible completely. But they gave off a surprisingly low amount of heat when they wanted to. Which was often given they tended to turn off the engines and drift when not actively accelerating or decelerating.

Additionally there might be something to look at in there torpedoes. Or rather Kentic impactors The differences was that Torpedos had warheads. And the element zero alloy hulls had great promise.

"Well, admiral Julistin, I've read the report," the senior most Admiral on the board said as he placed the data slate down in front of him. "And, well, I'm not sure where to start."

"In what way sir?"

"Well, if any one other then a Admiral gave me this, I would throw the majority of it into a trash can, and then have his rank."

"I, understand sir. I would share your opinion were it not the fact of what I have seen with my own eyes." it certainly did not help that the, human General Chand had forbidden recording devices in the base.

Avatar Kelin had apologized, but personally Julistin felt Chand was properly paranoid. (maybe a touch too paranoid but not with out reason)

"Well, one way or another we shall see. Your report mentioned they are highly interested in sending a ship with a diplomatic corp to the Citadel."

"Yes sir, but they have yet to send any yet. They not sure how to negotiate the Relays to get to the Citadel."

"humm," The admiral said looking though the data tablet again.

"I don't see why we can't help them." he said with a smile. "after all. They did save one of are colony's."

SHIFT

else were though the new Alliance was causing conversation else were,

The three Council members, Tevos of the Asari, Valern the Turians, and Shrenda of the Salarian were going over maps and trying to figure out what would happen next.

All new races shifted the galactic geopolitical landscape depending on there locations.

The discovery of the Batarians alone had basicly set the formation of the Terminus system into being.

This new race could have started the stabilizing of the Terminus, if they were stronger.

The Alliance had sent data of there boarder planets, and only there boarder planets, to the Council, they were playing this safe, if a little paranoid.

The problem was there boarder planets placed them close to the Terminus. Dangerously close. Also reports from Admiral Julistin had painted them as being less technically advance by a horrific margin.

They still used inter-combustion engines, propellers and Calvary, honesty to god on guy on a smelly animal, Calvary!

Once word of this got out the whole Terminus was going to get on them like a Varren with a baby in the room.

Fresh, easy to kill, meat.

Tevos looked away from the map with a huff. "Any ideas how we keep them from getting steam rollered into just another part of the Terminus?"

"Make them part of the Citadel." Valern said. "and quickly. That would keep the Terminus system legal powers from attacking them. They want a war with the Council as much as we do with them."

"That would be a snub of the highest caliber to Hannar, Elcor, Batarians and Volus." Shrenda countered. "They had to wait decades to join the Citadel. Now for no good reason we let a new race join the citadel in less then a year?"

"But it is a good reason." Valern countered.

"Valern, we all know your bias here given there first action was to help save Turian civilians." Tevos began. "And you idea is likely the best to keep the organized powers away, but Shrenda does have a point. Will the others agree that it is a good reason? Do we want that kind of political fallout? I say we play this by ear, and have a word with there diplomatic team before we decide anything.

"Agreed, best to play it safe." Shrenda agreed.

SHIFT

three weeks had passed from first contact. Now the Citadel awaited the Cruiser Spring wind.

It was a long wait, the Alliance ship were far from the fastest ship in the galaxy.

But now? At the third week?

The cruiser had arrived.

The relay spun up and emitted a pulse of energy as the massive, light green ship arrived.

On the half of the aliens: the cruiser was some what impressive on the face of it.

A pirate had called it, a combination of battle ship and a temple, and that impression was common among those who saw the ship slowly, (Very slowly, Iron engines were efficient, not fast) approach.

On the humans part?

Rear Admiral Norebank was trying to look professional, and though he was doing well on that front, the rest of the crew was not.

The diplomatic team alone were going 'ga ga' over the ships.

"Look at that!" one pointed out the massive silver cross of the Destiny Ascendent.

"If you had a team of metal benders working for a year they MIGHT be able to make that,, out of Pig Monkey iron!"

"I know! The main gun alone would be a BITCH!" Norebank shook his head sadly.

"Can you blame them?" Norebank turned to face Avatar Kelin.

"When did you you walk up behind me?"

"I'm the avatar, a stealth mode comes standard." he chuckled.

Norebank rolled his eyes then coughed loudly to get the diplomatic teams attention. "If you can peel you eyes off the view screens for a moment thank you, we have a slight problem."

the team turned to face him.

"Do we deploy a shuttle now, or do we wait till we will get closer?"

"I assumed we were going to dock the Cruiser?" one said.

"Incompatible docking gear." Norebank said back.

"Well, what do there flight control recommend?"

"They suggested we wait till are shuttle was a couple minutes out, problem is, for us that is a exceedingly close to the Citadel. I think that guy was surprised by just how slow our shuttles are." A sudden nervous shiver passed though him.

Spirits, if it came to blow, real blows with a real army and navy, just how out classed were they?

He put the thought from his mind. "Very well then, I'll forward the message, we lunch are shuttle in a hour and a half."

"Umm, sir, did some one inform the council that we would be awhile?" a diplomat nervously said."

"Spirits I hope so."

SHIFT

"We have been standing here for over an hour." Tevos muttered. "I think I am getting blisters."

"Not there fault," Shrenda muttered. "In the words of there Captain there ships are fuel efficient not fast."

"And this things suppose to be a warship?" Valern muttered back.

The whole of the Citadel press core had turned out to Presiden dock one, normal reserved for special occasions.

And right now the alliance was inadvertently snubbing the entire Citadel with there lack of speed

the threes Councilors omni tools lit up in sync and Tevos was the first to look.

"Seems the Alliance has finally lunched there shuttle."

"About time." Valern muttered.

"You can't blame them for having cruddy technology." Tevos defended, though her feet told her other wise.

"Were still stuck here for a couple minutes though."

"O joy."

SHIFT

a couple minutes later the Alliance shuttle arrived.

Passing though the glowing field that kept the air in, and the void of space out the shuttle pulled into the docking bay.

A world apart from a standard shuttle, most of the dignitary present were shocked, propellers? Just how primitive were humans?

Ion jet pulsing the shuttle went into the gravity well of the station flitting across the ground like some ungainly insect with no grace at all. Careful it settled on skids along the base, springing lightly as the coils in the struts bounced it for a few seconds till it settled to stillness.

With a hiss of pneumatic force the rear of the shuttle slid upward and before live galactic cameras, Avatar Kelin (finally) emerged.

Blinking a few times he got his baring before turning toward the three Councilors, who were trying to discretely hide the evidence they had been brought folding chairs, he then approached them, even as a select squad of escorts left the shuttle.

"Typical." Salk muttered to any one who would listen. "I'm suppose to stay close to him and what does he do? Leave me behind. Hump."

"Well he is the avatar." Sargent Malk said, he was the fire bender chosen to escort the Avatar, why? He had no idea. "He can do what he want."

"Hump," She said again. A prickling sensation at the back of her neck spun her head around to meet the unnerving stare of Arashi, the marksmen of the group, and of them he was the only one openly armed with a weapon, albeit the ceremonial weapon for his regiment, a recurved bow.

"Who you looking at?" Arashi merely made his glare more intense.

"Do you guys ever say anything?" She asked mean sprited. Malk tried to answer. "Every Yuyu sniper I've met been like that. Once tried to date one of the women in there regiment."

"Really? How did that go?" at this new topic Arashi focused he targeter eyes on Malk, but they were softer not quite as hard. "55 minutes of complete silence, most awkward date I have ever been on. Still have her number in-fact."

"So what do we do now?" Salk turned to face the white face of one of the other escorts. "Right now? Nothing. I think it would be too damaging to are image to go chasing after the Avatar like school yard nanny. Pfft. I hate my life some times."

meanwhile: the avatar was going though the formality of meeting a almost thousand year old community of different alien races.

A thought struck Malk. "Say, how old is the Avatar cycle any way?"

"I don't know." Salk muttered. "Five thousand years?"

"And how old is the Council?"

"No idea, don't care really." Salk almost growled. Malk almost hissed back, he held it back though.

"Any idea what there doing?" he asked Arashi. Who just shrugged in slight confusion.

"Likely going though the ados." the Kyoshi warrior who had asked Salk what they were suppose to do now said. "You know, 'I'm honored, to meet you in the name of the Alliance and 'no I'm honored to meet you please have the Galactic Encyclopedia of infinity knowledge!" Malk chuckled "I never did get your name miss?"

"Jun." she said. The two cast a glance back at the dignitary talking at each other. "When are they going to shut up." Malk muttered.

"He's likely apologizing for how long it took for us to get here." Jun replyed "the only question is how long till we get past all this ceremonial stuff and they move on to the smoke filled back room where the real policy is made."

"That should be soon." Malk muttered. "When do you think were get those translator things they told us we would?"

Back at the meeting of avatar and councilors, the four of them were beginning to walk to what seemd to be a flying car that was behind them.

"If he thinks hes going without me." Salk muttered she turned on her helmet radio, little knowing that any one with there omni tool set to the proper frequency could hear the supposedly, encrypted channel..

"If you think for one moment Kelin your leaving your bodyguard your sorely mistaken. Now wait for me or kick you so hard your past lives will feel it!"

"My dear." the radio signal said back "I would not dream about forgetting you." he said in such a tone that clearly showed he would rather forget about her.

SHIFT

Kelin sighed. "Forgive me Councilors, but it seems the paranoia of my escorts knows no bounds."

"That is no issue Avatar." Tevos siad. " you should have seen the Elcor when they joined. They don't look like it, but a full Elcor anti terrorist squad is scary as all heck."

"Really? If I recall from the codex you gave us, Elcor are slow and ponderous."

"Treaty's allow escorts too carry around small arms. What the Elcor define small arms, are really anti tank rifles. And when you walk around with a cannon on your back it does not matter how slow you are."

"I can imagine. I shall signal her to join us."

"If I may ask, what qualifications does your body guard have?"

"She is a Kyoshi warrior." seeing there confused looks he gave some back ground. "First, some history. In the Alliance there are generally four elite regiment, First for the water nations there are the Wolves, not a single regiment but a group of men who have all volunteered for suicide missions, so they get them, along with some additional training and equipments*. For the Fire nation there's the Yuyu snipers, the finest marksmen to ever serve as a standing force."

"That title among us goes to the Asair commandos." Tevos said self aware.

"I once saw a Yuyu sniper throw a three inch target off a cliff, wait three seconds, jump after it. Then, while in free fall, shoot and hit it, with a semi auto rifle."**

"... if that is true then he had to be showing off." Tevos said.

"He was a women actually, as for the showing off? Of that I have little doubt. They can be quite the show offs in there own silent ways. But such feats of accuracy are common. If you wish a more believable tale, I've seen a Sniper, using a bow and arrow, hit a target, then split his arrow five times by hitting it with another arrow."

Just then Salk arrived.

"you still have not answered what qualification she has to be your body guard." Valern asked.

"quite: well the Republic of nations has the metal bending elite, and the Earth Kingdom have the Kyoshi warriors: of which, she is one."

"I have no idea what your talking about." Salk said.

"Of course, you don't have the translator, for that matter nor do I." Kelin said switching his language fluidly.

"That can easily be solved." Shrenda said. "we have some spare omni tools in the transport."

"What did you just say." Salk said trying hard not to get infuriated at diplomats.

"Were going to get you a translator." Kelin supplied.

"Bout time." she almost growled. "Can they understand me?" she asked.

"Yes." Kelin said some what amused.

As the five of them moved to the air car once more Valern eyed Salk.

"For a body guard she seems lightly armed." he said after a moment

"It must be said that I don't need much protection in onto my self. But as far as I know all my body guards, save are marksmen Arashi, are armed with a full array of dart knives*** and throwing knives, and Arashi has his recerve bow."

"Throwing knives and arrows?" Tevos said confused.

"We did not feel fully comfortable bringing fire arms to a peace meeting. Also, there projectiles move too slow for most shields to stop." the councilors almost skipped a step. As councilors they got the best shielding money could buy,, now the one glaring weakness in there shields was made as clear as a bell.

Honestly: fire arms would been better. Seeing the sudden change in expressions, even if he did not fully understand the meaning of them, Kelin chuckled. "I take it that thought is new too you?"

"Very," Tevos said. "How common are, Dart knives?"

"Not very. They are complex devices, they have to be given the amount of high power springs in them. There assembled by clock makers. But as long as you have money for them you can get them. The problem is using them. It takes years of practice and focus to be able to hit a target more then arms length away. It's why we use guns and not throwing knives. Despite the knives perks."

"That is relaxing." Tevos said.

All the talking while walking had allowed them to reach the air transport.

It has so far been called a car.

The term, Assault limo would work far better.

Shielding more commonly found on APC covered it along with armor plating to match, a heavy machine gun was embraced just under the pilots seat. Add on a five man elite C-sec assault team just a compartment ahead of the councilors, and you find out why the Liner, as it was called, had been forcible requisitioned by C-sec as a command vehicle at least three times. (the fully stocked Asair wine bar had nothing to do with it, the head of C-sec was a Turian.)

Entering the Liner the four diplomats and one body guard settled on the padded seats quickly.

While Shrenda handed a omni tool to Salk Tevos public display disappeared and a face that was dead serious appeared in its place.

"Normally we talk about treaty you would to agree too to join the Citadel, but your location is a massive problem."

"What do you mean?"

Shift

back at the shuttle the escort team were left scratching there heads.

"Well, now what?" Malk asked scratching his head.

"Now your real task." Malk winced as his head set cracked encrypted information into his head, at a volume a bit too loud. It sounded like Admiral Norebank he thought as the order flowed over the head set.

"Though your primary mission remains to guard Avatar Kelin, he is, lets face it, the Avatar, and needs little in terms of a escort. So your are to observe the Citadel and give us your thoughts on it, give us a feel for the culture of the council."

"So, were to play tourist?" Jun asked over the radio system.

"Basically. And keep a close eye open for any sign of bending, and keep your own bending close to your chest."

"Understood." Malk replied. The line went dead.

"So, whats the plan?" Jun asked.

"Well, we need a translater thing before we can get anywhere."

"And when will we get that?"

The oddest possible language, and this coming from some one who knew the foggy swamp local dialect, came from nearby.

The entire group pivoted to face a blue skinned alien, women? That was the only assumption they could reach at her appearance.

"What did she just say?" some one asked.

"You guess is as good as mine?" Malk said. "Though I think she can understand us." Malk said as he watch her face palm, a universal gesture even here. "She must have the device her self."

She nodded. "So, I presume you will give us equivalent devices?" Jun asked.

She nodded again. "Well, what do we have to do to get them?"

SHIFT

Kelin face was very serious as he absorbed the news that the Alliance, was a small fish that had to share a tank, with a Unagi

"Is there anything that can be done other then bracing are self against the tide?"

"Nothing right away, we may be over stating the situation a great deal, but the threat of it is there." Tevos said.

"It may be a case like a animal, as long as you make your self look like a hard target they will leave you alone." Shrenda added.

"So, we have to crush any first attempt that comes to us and make a example of them?" Kelin said.

"In a nut shell." Valern answered. "Why are you smiling like a loon?"

"I'm the Avatar, making examples is what we do best, one of my past lives once split a Island apart from the rest of the continent."****

silence met that remark.

"That, does lead us into the issue of these, 'bendings' we've heard of."

"And, what is the question you wish to ask? Are they real? I assure you, they are." he lit his hand on fire.

SHIFT

The liner settled down in a unsolicited stop at a empty loading dock.

As soon as it landed the door was thrown open and three thoroughly foam covered councilors stumbled out gasping for fresh air, you could not even tell the species at the moment.

"I'm sorry I had no idea this thing had fire retardant systems." Kelin said as he stumbled out trying to get foam out of his beard.

"I think my make up is running." Salk muttered as she attacked her face with a rag all, smart Kyoshi kept on them for times like this.

Coughing chunks of foam out of his mouth Shrenda wiped the stuff out of his eyes. "If I see this on the Extra net tonight I will kill you." he half joked.

"Let me help." Kelin said taking a deep breath formed a ball of air around him self, then he then blew it all directions send foam flying and clearing the councilors up, sunning them senseless, but cleaning them.

The special forces team just a compartment ahead of them manged to get there act in gear and as they figured out they had both stopped, and most of all.

THE COUNCILORS HAD GOTTEN OFF!

now that they knew that one fact, they now had a single goal.

GET THEM BACK IN THE LINER!

There timing though, was horrible.

The second they left there compartment was the exact moment Kelin made his puff of air blowing the foam away, and into there faces.

Surprised they they made the one assumption they could make.

They were under attack.

Even as they tried to find bareings, tried to find the councilors to cover them one of them blindly fired in the direction of the supposed attack.

All the councilors had the best shielding in all of the council space, and Kelin and Salk who had the best shielding the Alliance had, which was much less efficient technology, but actually slightly stronger since they had a much larger core of element zero. (more noticeable then the slimmer councilor version) so the few rounds that were fired did not harm any one, (though the councilors all threw themselves to the ground.) Kelin though did not throw him self to the ground..

He was thrown to the ground.

Salk slammed her shoulder into the avatar forcing him to the ground, as her training took over.

Step one: Secure escort; that done.

Step two: neutralize hostiles.

It took less then a second for her to get in close, and once there, it took less then ten second.

Sweep the legs out of one with a pivot across the right foot, turn that into a blow across the chest of a second with right hand, when drawing back right hand, aim arm at third member fire a spray of dart knives into his armor knocking him down, left hand reach out, grab a turian by his body armor, throw him into a fourth guard.

The fifth stumbled back taking aim with his sub-machine gun, only for five darts knives into impact the gun, kicking sparks up as they both shorted and destroyed the system.

Silence reigned in the moment as every one tried to figure out what the heck had just happened.

"If we are done making a audition for the universe's funnyist home video." Tevos said standing back up with a angry scowl on her face. "can we keep moving to the council chambers?"

"Only if you tell me why these guys opened fire on us!" Salk shouted back. She stomped down on some ones hand as he tried to stand back up.

"Salk, not only was I not hit, but the only ones who's shields took a dent were the councilors." Kelin rolled his eyes as he stood up.

"Now, please allow those fine special force's guys to stand up, delete any video that may have been caught on security cameras, while we get moving again."

Salk glared at Kelin, one of the spec op troopers tried to tackle her, lunging at her waist. She turned, lifted her knee, smashing into his chin, grabbed his skull, then flipped him over her shoulders.

"Yes, your very good." Kelin drawled. "now, can we get going?"

SHIFT

Malk's eyes spun around in there sockets and his skull was on a pivot as he took in the ward.

The tour guide. Almin, was along side, glad as all heck she was not the guide to get 'Arashi', the mute oddity.

Right now: they were touring one of the more refutable and cultural areas, the best equivalent to the human would be to call it a tourist trap.

The streets were lined with shops, side shows, each vieing for attention, and of course, your money.

"What is going on here?" Malk said head following a line of brightly wind chimes.

"It's a Asair religious festival dedicated to the goddess as a Maiden, and so, it's about experiencing life. Hence all the food, artwork, and displays."

"It looks like the fire nation culture festival!" Malk said, "All I need are some fire flakes!"

"What are, fire flakes?" She said interested

"They are the most beloved snack in all of the fire nation. Remind me to send you a bag some time in thanks." he said smileing back at her.

A puff of a distinctive light to his left snagged his eye. "Whats over there?" he asked pointing down a ally that lead into a open square filled with people.

"I think,," she tapped on her omni tool a second. "Ah, that square has been booked for the next hour by a fire breather. Would you,," she looked up about to ask, go and see? But he had already taken off toward it.

"Hay!" she said. "Wait for me!" she quickly took off after the human.

Once past the short ally way she scanned the mass of people for a human form.

She found a tuff of cranial fur near the front, hanging near the railing.

Sighing in exasperation she started to move though the crowd trying to get close to him. After offending a half dozen strong Turian family she got along side him.

The fire breather in question was a Krogan, (pretty impressive for a race that lacked lips) he was spinning a pair of poles with burning wads of fabric wrapped along both ends, one pole in each arm. He spun them so fast they formed a pair of loops of flame.

In a perfect movement he tossed on into the air, expelled a gout of petrol upward, it touched the burning torch.

The gas lit ablaze as it touched the flame shifting into a six meter long pillar of fire, the crowd oohed and awed at all the right places, even Almin.

Malk, had not.

Not only was not impressed, he was not happy in the least.

He in fact looked offended.

"Fake." he simply said.

Almin shot him a look. "You don't think that's really fire?"

"Well, ya the flame is real, and as far as fakes go, he's a pretty good one, but a fake he is none the less." he turned to Almin as he spoke.

"How's he a fake?"

"He's clearly spitting gasoline." Malk answered.

"O come on." Almin said rolling her eyes. "It's not like humans can just spit fire from there mouths."

Malk answered by lifting his hand to his mouth to cover the flame, save for her to see it, then coughed.

A small tongue of flame lit his mouth, the flame gently licking his fingers. Almin eyes went wide, rumors and story's from the Turian army that had met the humans coming back to her.

"O, shit." She muttered. Malk shrugged at her reaction. "I was told to be down key. So, I think I appreciate if you kept that to your self." His stomach gave a large discontent growl.

Giving a almost embarrassed smile he shifted the topic. "So, can we get something to eat?"

SHIFT

The liner had left the warehouse all aboard, (minus a pair of spec op troopers who stayed to hunt down any camera footage.) and right now the council plus avatar were desperately trying to get the foam off themselves before a public appearance.

"So, I assume that everything we've heard about your, bendings is correct?" Tevos said eyes like sauce pans.

"Though I don't know what you have been told, Indeed." Kelin said as kept a small current of air blowing though the cabin to blow dry everything, mostly Salk hair but every one was getting dry.

"You are volatile every law of physic I know off the top of my head." Shrenda said some what awed.

"Spirits above." Valern muttered putting his head in his palms. "how are we going to explain that to the galactic community?"

"Simple. You put a camera there, you put me there, I bend and that's that."

"While good that is what were likely going to do, I meant,,, well." Valern hand open and closed as if grasping for meaning.

"Let me put this this way." Shrenda said. "There is no way what your doing is possible, by the laws of normal physics. Yet you can clearly do it, so everything we know is wrong."

Kelin coughed into his hand, letting the wind-stream die. "We have our own physics problem. We've noticed there seems to be two sets of physical laws, those applying to the universe, and one applying to benders. Most people don't notice given that, well benders our everywhere. So the fact there exist two laws is not well understood."

"You don't have your own theory?" Shrenda said intrested.

"The only idea we have is that benders draw energy from the spirit world," (Valern perked up at that mention) "and externalize it in as either, Earth, Fire, Air or Water bending. Normal humans," he gestured to Salk. "Draw energy the same way, but can't externalize. We call it internal bending, and while they can't say throw fire balls, the energy augments there muscles and reflexes to move much, much faster. Hence why Salk is so fast, or why the Yuyu snipers have such ridiculous levels of accuracy. The energy, benders draw is the energy that allow the first set of physical laws to remain accurate, since benders get the energy from there."

"Fascinating." Shrenda said.

"Very. Energy benders, in that benders who bend energy are able directly alter the internal energy of people, and are able to alter that state, allowing them to make people benders and to take it away. Current guess put the first benders as energy benders who made themselves able to external bend, while the four bending arts took off energy bending became rarer and rarer, till it faded away."

"Fascinating." the three councilors said at once.

The Liner stopped. "Time for another public appearance." Tevos commented. "We will have to speak about this latter but for now."

"Smile and wave." Kelin said smileing.

SHIFT

Malk had requested. 'the spiciest thing on the menu'.

That that meant he ordered the flaming, atomic, red hot volcanic, Tuchanka 'extreme death salsa.'

Almin had images of teams of men working robotic arms, mixing multi colored fizzling chemicals behind blast doors, the fumes eating there way though the walls. If they spilled, the fluid would eat it's way though the floor and they would call a bio response team to come in for clean up.

Face as far from the chill as he could the waiter brought the fuming meal to the expecting human. Putting the concoction down eyes watering she backed away.

"If you eat that." the Turian said. "With out vomiting, I've got 200 creds on the line."

"Make sure it doesn't eat the spoon." Almin said pinching her nose. "Goddess that thing's reeks."

"Spirits, your whining is like a water tribe member given a box of fire flakes." Malk said as he tucked a napkin around his neck. "Grow a real stomach for Avatars sake."

"Your need regrow yours soon enough." the Turian said. With no further introduction Malk dug his spoon (which Almin imagined to a marty spoon kind,) into the thick, steaming fuming, concoction and took a large bite out of the mass.

The restaurant held it's breath.

"I like it!" Malk said after he swallowed. "Damn you." The Turian growled good naturedly. "I've lost!" to the awe of every one the human kept eating.

"You really don't find it hot?" Almin said shocked.

"O hell no, it's the spiciest thing I have ever eaten. I just like my food incredible spicy." he took another bite (Even as Almin heard his intestines cry out for mercy)

"There a lot more where you come from?" The Turian asked.

"I'm pretty typical for the fire nation." Malk said. "This stuff will sell like fire flakes."

SHIFT  
Meanwhile on Tuchanka.

"Hay, whats wrong! I'm losing contaminant on the number four salsa reactor! Why are you just starring slack jawed at those diodes!"

"I just had a money-gasm."

"It's just your imagination, we only sell to a few krogan die hard."

"I Don't know why, I just know where going to make a lot of money soon."

SHIFT

"I'll believe that when I see it." The Turian said.

He walked back to the kitchen to pay his gamble. A television was silently playing in a corner of the restaurant. Malk looked up at screen.

"Say, That's your councilors isn't it?" Almin looked up as well.

"Say, your right."

"Is there a way we can turn the volume up on that thing?"

"I think so." Almin said looking around for a waiter to ask.

One noticed. "O sure." she (she was a Asair) said and she walked over to the television and turned the volume way up.

"Thanks." Malk said as the two of them watched the video.

The three councilors stood along side the avatar as the press meeting began, some question or other had been asked and Kelin was answering it.

"The Allinace only seeks peace with there now much expanded community. Of course if some wish to over come us, to denie us our basic rights of a people, then of course we shall fight them with all of are might. But, we shall never start a unjust, or unprovoked war. It is upon those thoughts, and upon those pillars of are behavior that I, on the behalf of the Alliance. Do hereby state, that we would be honored to join the Citadel."

"And that," Malk said as he started to dig into his chili, "IS all she wrote."

* * *

*this is the group Sokka volunteered for in the siege of the northern water tribe. (not sure if I got the episode name right)

** actually: less impressive then pinning Aang by his clothing with a bow in free fall.

***the spring loaded darts Mai used.

****Kyoshi Island.


	8. Earth: Omake one

Ugh, sorry for the wait but i've had school and other thing pop up.

any way: here is the long awaited update, part of a set of omakes that give some back story and some recent events, there last up to the end of Earth, and into Fire which will go over Shepards early life, followed for ME by Gravity.

* * *

**_How can you do that?!_**

Plumes of flame filled the air.

Arching bolts of lighting were projected sky ward.

In the center of the maelstrom of heat and flame was a single human, and not only was he in the center, he was the cause.

Punches, arm swings, leg kicks the each movement of his form created, and launched another burst of energy upward.

"ENOUGH!" a voice cryed over the intercom in dismay." the human stopped, a light sheen of sweat across his brow.

"Can I take this shit off now?" he said he squirmed slightly. "I feel like I'm cooking alive in here." the suit in question was a black body suit with white, ping pong balls on it to track his motion.

Behind a pain of one way mirror the Salarian science team could only hold there head's in there hands.

It had been a month and they still had no clue how bending worked, why it could be done, why only humans could do it, and if it could be replicated.

Salzar groaned resting his elbows on the computers in front of him. He pushed a button for the speaker. "Yes, fine, just,, just go." he said mournfully to the person who had destroyed his view of a orderly universe, where every rule could be known.

",,, ok." the human said walking off the filming stage to get the tracking suit off him self.

In the control room silence screamed louder then a cannon, then Salzar groaned again. "The longer we do this, the more I think were just going to have to accept that human explanation."

"What?" a Grendl, a second member of the team in the control booth said pulling his hands away from his face to glare at Salzar. "That they draw energy from the 'Spirit world'?"

"Or some kind of world." a third member named Jenl said with a sigh. "It's clear there getting the energy form somewhere, why not a different plane of reality? I'll accept that."

"Would you have accepted that three months ago!" Grendle said with a angry snarl.

"NO sentient race back then could levitate a rock with out using magnetic fields, gravity modulation, dark matter, anti matter, wires, plasma or any other of the countless hypothesis we made." Grendle said back

"So, what do we have." Jenl asked.

"Well," Salzar said activating a data tablet. "We know that all humans have a much higher EM field around them then is normal for any living creature."

"Even the Hannar." Grendle cut in.

"Yes, even the Hannar. We also know that Benders have a even higher EM field around them then baseline humans." The field was so strong in fact that some complex technology failed around benders. (Giveing a nasty surprise to the first person to take a bender in a areo car, lucky he was a air bender) explaining why there own tech was primitive, but rugged.

The effect was less pronounced with normal humans, but more sensitive electronics tended to have a higher failure rate with them.

Suddenly military grade anti EMP technology was becoming, much, much more popular.

"So, we can tell a bender from a non bender, C-Sec will be over joyed to here that." Jenl cut in.

"Useful, but not what we want here. We also know that brain wave patterns activate wildly when a human is bending, there is likely a pattern there, but we need to do this longer to find it."

"I'm over joyed." Gendle growled.

"Do they also light up when a humans doing KI? Or some of there marital arts? There does seem to be a connection between the movement and the bending." Jenl asked.

"Possible, we will have to look at that one."Gendle replyed thinking about it carefully."What else do we know about bending?"

"It's definitely genetic in origin." the fourth member of there team, the botanist Rolen Solis, "The gene for bending is present in all benders, but not ever one with the gene is a bender."

"Is there gene linked to the EM field around humans?" Jenl asked.

"Not that we know, you have the field if your a bender, but not if you have the Bender Gene." Rolen replayed.

"Humm, if you need to have the bender gene, and the EM Field to bend, then is there a EM gene?"

"For that, we would need to find some one with a strong EM field, and unable to bend, and we would need to find a large group of them to confirm our result." Rolen said back.

"Humans tend to equate this EM field with spirituality correct?" Salzar asked.

"Yes, they say bending has a physical part: the gene and movement, and a spiritual part, which we can equate to the EM field." many people pointed to a persons EM field as there 'aura',that it was a reflection of there soul.

"So, we look among there guru's and there spiritualists?"

"Logical." Rolen said.

"So, our new plan is to look for the EM gene and see what we can learn from that?" Jenl asked.

"And then study the interaction between the EM gene, and Bender Gene." Salzar finished.

"So, have we made any progress?" Gendle asked looking at a tablet. "Does not seem we've gotten very far."

"No, we haven't." Salzar groaned. "All we know for sure, is bending is genetic, and all benders have a strong EM field. That's about it."

"What if we got the Avatar in here." Jenl asked. "He can bend all four elements, unique among humans maybe we can make a break though with him."

"Fool." Rolen said. "There are two types of problems, ones where you can get a breakthrough that changes everything, and others where you have to spend generations grinding forward, each generation building on the last. This is the second type of problems. We will never see the answer to bending in our life, we know that so lets move on and do what we can so the next generation can stand on our shoulders taller then were we our selves stood."

silence echoed after his speech. Salzar broke it. "I still think getting the Avatar in here would help."

"O yes to be sure." Rolen said a at calm look on his face. "I just don't think we will ever get a magic solu,," his relaxed poster froze up.

The room burst into laughter, "You know the rule Rolen!" Salzar said between spasm of laughter.

Growling Rolen took a credit chip and tossed into the 'magic box' behind him every time you said the word magic, you had to throw a 30 credit chip in there.

So far: it had 50,000 credits in it, (at least six from a specter who had visited them once, and a few from councilor Tevos.) it had been Rolen's idea and this was the first time he had to have thrown a chip in there.

"What are we going to do with all that money?" Salzar asked as he spun his chair to face it.

"Charity for sure." Rolen answered. "Just,, don't know which one."

"A question we can answer, but for another day." Gendle sighed. "Never thought I would miss quantum mechanics."

"hay," Rolen said offended. "Beats look at Krogan testicles all day."

* * *

_**One sentence is important**_

_Codex: Bending._

_A unique trait/art/skill/ability/ to humans, bending is the manipulation of one of four meta physical elements, Fire, Water, Earth or Air, and the sub divisions of each._

_Though modern science does not understand bending (See Codex science of bending)what is known is the physical act of bending._

_Part Martial art, part spiritual connection, bending consists of using movements of the body to perform physical changes in the world. _

_Bending also has sub-discipline to it that our a off shoot of the bending style, such as fire benders being able to control lighting and Earth benders metal._

_The four types of bending are;_

Fire bending: which consists of rapid sharp movements that allow the creation of flame. Fire bending is called the element of power and is all about over whelming your enemy in a short intense barrage of blow.

_Fire bending sub discipline is lighting bending, allowing the formation and manipulation of electrical fields such as lighting._

_Air bending is done with long flowing movements, and also quick ones. Air bending also allows the control of gases in a atmosphere, air bending aboard a ship or other inclosed space is harder. Air bending avoids combat, striking only when it needs to, and then with clinical force to end a fight, if you can not brake though a wall, then don't, go around it is a common air bender philosophy._

_Air bending has no true sub-discipline, but by using air bending in creative ways air benders have a wider range of ability then a earth, fire or water bender. This range includes, pressure manipulation, sound formation and manipulation, flight and (if enough air benders our present.) weather control._

_Water bending: is performed with smooth graceful movements. Water: called the element of change is about redirection, adapting to you enemy and using his strength against him. Water benders can freely control water in all three forms, liquid, ice, and steam, and shift between the forms at will._

_Water bending has only one sub-discipline: Blood bending, which is the manipulation of water within a living body. Blood bending allows benders to heal, control, diagnose and kill any water based living being. High levels of blood bending our hard for normal benders and only expert benders can perform it._

_Earth bending is performed with short violent, forceful movements. Earth is the element of substance, and earth bending allows one to control stones and minerals, with two exceptions. One can not bend any thing radioactive, and one can not bend pure forms of earth metals, rare earth metals, metaloids or gasses. Earth bending is a direct style the focuses on powerful blows, and withstanding your enemy's counter attacks._

_The sub-discipline of earth bending is metal bending, allowing one to bend metal, as long as it's not any of the above restrictions._

"well, what do you think." Eldia said passing the tablet over to her partner.

"Give me a moment." the ancient Krogan put on a pair of reading glasses, after all the two of them had been working for the galactic codex for almost 300 years, and he had been alive at least three times that.

During that time they had been all over the galaxy chronicling everything, from Omega's Afterlife, to tales about Turian mythology.

And every time a new race was uncovered thousands of new entry's had to be put in place.

That meant, and this was her favorite part of the job, she and Gr'ind were set to the planet to learn everything about it that needed a entry, and what to put in the entry's.

First thing: a reenactment of the Earth kingdom rebellions, the war that had seen swords and spears turn into bolt action rifles and machine guns.

A hell of a technological leap.

"Seems good, bit rushed, needs some polishing." the train rumbled under them as they moved forward toward Ba-sing-sa.

"They always do." Eldia said with a shrug.

"You've been doing for some 300 years and you always need some one to spell check for you."

"In my defense, what is bending? An ability? A Martial art? Or a skill?"

"Humans would call it a martial art, but also a spiritual one."

"Humm," Eldia said moving over to look over Gr'ind shoulder. "Think were find a bending master to give us some pointers?"

"This trip or in general?"

"This trip."

"Likely," Gr'ind gruffly said "Benders are every where."

"But bending masters?" Eldia clarified.

"Even odds." he replied again.

Just then the trains other passengers awoke form the little naps they had been takeing.

The crew was the first batch of tourists into the alliance, and all had been desecrate examined by the specters to make sure that no,, trouble makers made it though and colored the Alliances view on other life forms.

They must have had some intelligent people doing the screening for Gr'ind and this group to get though.

Two of them were Quarians, maybe a couple? They way they leaned there heads against each other napping.

Three were Truians, most were napping, the third one was reading a pamphlet, _Bending and you! Defending your self against violent street crime!_

A Salarian, Asari couple were in the back of the car talking to each other softly, and lastly a Hannar/Drell,, calling them a couple would suggest intimacy but they stayed near each other like a couple.

At the head of the train car was the only human present, he looked like a military man wearing one of the odd helmets with the wide neck and shoulder guard. He bounced a small round rock off his wrist like it was made of rubber.

Finally he bounced it a fair bit higher then before, and then snatched it out of the air crushing it to dust.

He tapped his foot against the floor, jarring the passengers to attentiveness with a violent vibration though the seating.

"Ok lady's gentlemen and,," he looked at the Hannar confused.

"It would be the most proper response human." the Hannar intoned.

"OK." he said slowly confused. "Anyway. "Welcome to Ba-sing-sa. We should be in sight of the outer wall soon, but I have a few things that need to be made clear first."

He gestured to the Turian who had been reading the packet. "I'm glad to see your reading the educational packet we handed out, street crime will be your number one threat. Though you should be safe as long as you follow normal procedure, stay in lit areas, don't go alone, the fact is you are especially vulnerable to bending since you have only a rough idea about it, instead of having grown up knowing what it can and can not do."

He gathered his breath, "In short the only benders you really need to worry about are water benders, Earth and Fire are just like muggers with guns, only they use there bending to threaten. Water Bending Yakuza members are infamous for taking people hostage with blood bending and have occasional taken people into slavery." that drew attention.

"Slavery? And your people tolerate this!" one of the Turians said.

"We don't." the solider said with a angry glare. "We fight it with every fiber of are being, problem is, as organized crime like the Yakuza are good at what they do. In some parts it's like a war keeping them down, you can't honestly say you've never had problems with that?"

"Turian culture is more homogenous, so criminals are rarer, but yes, we have had to deal with that."

"OK then." the troop said calming down. "Were letting your roam on your own, despite are wishes to make sure your each got a trooper to look over you, the council convinced us other wise, so please don't make a diplomatic incident that we have to resolve with S.W.A.T. Teams."

"Lastly: please keep in mind that your the first aliens most people will have seen face to face, so expect a lot of gawking. We've politely asked people to keep that to a minimum, but,," he rubbed the back of his head.

"Expect a lot of it any way and be pleasantly surprised when it does not?" Eldia said.

"Bout the long and short of it." the human said nodding in thanks.

"we only have one scheduled event and that's for the you guys from the galactic codex, that will be soon after we arrive."

"Who's from the codex?" one of the Quarian's asked.

"That would be us." Gr'ind said raising his hand.

"If I may have your attention again." the trooper said coughing. "After the event your free to go where you chose, it's been recommended you stick together."

At this point his face took on a oddly penisc, nervous look to it, " Lastly and I hope you listen to it,, we would really, really, really appreciate it if you were off the planet in about,, two weeks."

"Two weeks? What happens in two weeks?" one of the Quarian's asked, the male this time.

"Lady, you would not believe me if I told you, trust me on this we tried telling the councilors, just do it." silence streaked after that comment.

Coughing again the human started on a more comfortable line of talk, "If you have any questions please feel free to ask, Enjoy you stay at Ba-sing-sa." he chuckled in relief at the well warn rhyme.

"I have one, when will we see the mountains?" the female Quarian asked.

"Mountains?" the human said confused. "What mountains?"

"The mountains," at this she activated her omni tool sending a map Ba-sing-sa up. "see, these three broad rings around the city." the human oggled her in shock, like he could not imagine what she was saying.

"Just look at the front windows, I think the 'mountains' are coming into view."

As the two Quarians crowded the front of the train car the rest of the occupants chatted to each other.

"What does happen in two weeks?"

"Lot of stuff." Gr'ind rumbled. "The only question is, what human stuff happens in two weeks? Any one have a calender?" he asked.

"I think this one has possession of such a article." the Hannar said, the Drell nodded and started to go though a back pack before pulling out a calender made of reeds. He handed it over to Gr'ind.

"Thanks." the krogan rumbled as he opened it up and started to look though it.

"well, what happens?"

"Don't know." Gr'ind said confused. "Assuming I'm reading this right, then the only thing that happens is the Summer equinox, but what happens then?"

"For Kyoshi's sake, please don't mention that time." the human said getting nervous. "Bad things happen on the solstice."

before any one could ask why it was bad the Quarian couple shouted in shock. "Keela! it's not mountains! there walls!"

"Walls?" the drell said "Walls big enough to be listed on a topographic map?" he shifted to look out the window. "Woh." he said stunned. Eldia pivoted to lean out the window, sticking her face into the oncoming air steam, she blearily looked forward, unlike the drell she did not have a nicttateing membrane, but even she saw it.

A rapidly growing sheer cliff face grew larger and larger. A solid wall of brown stone, a impossible edifice of sheer stone that would have taken life times to build, brick by brick.

And there were three more rings of walls.

"Goddess! How do you build something like that!" Eldia shouted as she pulled her head back into the car. The human shrugged.

"If your look closely your find the wall's are all made of brick and mortar. So we think the wall was made before the coming of bending into the world. When a section gets damaged the walls relayed by hand. Pound per pound, the wall of Ba-sing-sa is stronger then equivalent weight in steel."

Eldia whistled in sunrise. "What makes it so strong if it's made of bricks?"

"Size for one, there are a lot of bricks. But also by now that wall is fused to the landscape on a spiritual level, so we think earth spirits are in the wall strengthening it."  
_"how do you get into space again_." Edlia thought to her self at such a primitive notions.

The human though,, his face did not hold the look of a believer, but of some one who KNEW his how his planet worked better then some off worlder.

She had seen it in the face of some sub iron age sentient beings on some nameless moon when describing there 'floating mountains.' That there turned out to be a hell of a lot of element zero in those mountains was beside the point, on the face of it was impossible, yet, they said it the same way.

Absolute belief, and your a fool for your lack of it.

The wall grew larger and larger as the train steamed, (literally, it was a steam engine) pushed forward.

For a few hours it looked almost like they were going to crash into the wall splattering the train like a bug across the wall.

It was not until they were almost three miles away from the wall, and closing fast that the solid stone in front of the train slide open like a blind let the speeding train rush though.

"Ok, you have two options at this point." the alien tourist turned to face the human tour guide, though body guard may also work. "You can get out at the station for a brief lay over, or stay on the train till you get to the reenactment ground, then an actual tour guide will take over for me."

"Don't like the job?" Gr'ind said with wiry chuckle.

"No offense." the human said as he left the train. "but the only reason I'm here is I got caught with the son of a General and he really does not like me."

the door slid shut behind him.

A very, very awkward silence filled the train car after that remark.

* * *

_**Landing**_.*

Kyoto was currently a frozen world.

Kyoto had a wild orbit. At one extrema it was actually too cold for liquid water to exist on the surface for a few weeks, save at the equator, on the other end it got too hot for liquid water to exist save at the poles. In either case there was never enough time for all the water to either freeze off or boil off, and in between the two extremes the planet was perfect, if very wet from all the water falling out of the atmosphere, or melting off the ice caps.

This did insane things to the sea level. A house placed against a mountain in winter, would be beach front property in summer, until the oceans began to boil away.

Right now a clear, snow and salt covered rolling slope, that was once a sea bed, rapidly climbed upward into a forest sitting on the sea shore.

And embraced in the wood land was a AA 12 Spider fly, a radio dish spinning silently though the night, icicles hanging off the four barrels of the tank's 20mm cannons.

Hand glimmering red captain Malk gently melted the ice off the gun barrels. Each breath was like steam escaping from a boiler as it filled the air around him.

Since first contact Malk had been promoted, from an infantry Sargent, to a Captain of a five gun AA battery, a sure fire first step to either a Airship captain or a tank position.

But first: first he had to take these boring nights guarding base and places he was not allowed to enter, and take them with a smile and a cup of fry's to give to his superior.

Especially when your superior was general Williams. Odd name aside he was competent, and good at his job, but a hard ass who often made unrealistic assumptions of what his men could do, because he based it on what he could do.

Coughing a burst of flame that lit up the surroundings for a moment Malk growled aloud "How the hell can a planet like this, be so cold and yet have green plants?"

"It's only this cold about a quarter of the year sir." the gunner of the AA 12 Spider-Fly said. "Half the year it's perfect, if a bit wet, last quarter of the year it's hotter then a fire benders ass hole,, SIR!" he said in a panic as he realized he was talking to a fire bender.

"No problem Zao, just don't do it again, or I will melt your quilts."

"No! There my own source of warmth this spirit forsaken planet!"he said in dismay as he curled tighter into his ball of home made quilts.

The rest of the gun's crew and escorts shared a laugh at his expense. "How's are attache doing sir?" the Sargent for the platoon attached to the battery asked.

Linked to the battery was a Turian special forces operative who's job was to get a feel for humanity weapons, equipments and tactics, and from that see if they need help.

The growing Human, Turian Alliance was something the council of nations was working hard to create, and create strong, something they would need since there nearest neighbor turned out to be a criminal nest.

The Turians seemed to think Humanity could do something about that, if only by acting as a barrier. Something the pirates and Batarian would be bled and slowed by, only to crash into a well prepared, drilled and forewarned Turian army.

Which meant, the entire human army could be considered a speed bump, and a speed bump worked best if you made it a big one. So the Turians may end up trying to help humanity by selling them weapons (at a profit) and have them use them on there enemys.

A cowardly view to a lot of humans, but then again they did not have a history of a cold war between two or more great powers behind them for a precedent.

Beside, no one, not even the Turians knew if they would do that. The Attache was part of that, trying to figure that out.

His name was Relmin, and his rank altered depending on who asked him so he would never out rank who he spoke too, a Turian practice he explained.

"Not sure, I think I'll ask him."

"That won't be necessary." Malk turned to face the Turian who had walked up behind him,, at least he thought it was a Turian. It was a bit hard to tell under the hard suit he wore all the time.

"You expect a space walk soon?" Malk quipped. Inside the suit Relmin mandibles flared, discipline always felt lax with humans.

"Turians evolved on a much, hotter planet then humans. This cold could almost kill me if I was not careful, how you humans stand it is beyond me."

Malk face felt froze so he coughed another bolt a flame, the heat gently warming his mouth, throat, lungs everything really.

"We mange." he said feeling less cold snapped.  
And that was another reason why he was here. Relmin considered.

Bending.

No one had any idea what a bender could do on a battle field. They were at least as dangerous as Biotics, but there were a great deal more of them then biotics, baring the Asair.

Take this AA battery: it was something no other race would consider attaching biotic, yet it had 20 benders, two to each of the guns attached to it.

Most other races only had biotic's as special operations, how it functioned as squad level unit was unknown.

He him self was biotic and had challenged Malk to a friendly sparing session, biotic VS fire bending.

That had not gone well at all.

"Yes well, Turians can't fire bend." he said after a moment.

Malk face curled up a little. His expression was typical of most humans. When they explored the stars they expected to meet other forms of bending.

They were disappointed that they were unique.

Before either Relmin or Malk could comment further Zao spoke up from his gunnery position. "Captain: just a head's up: I'm picking up Batarian Baffler gunships 15,000 feet moving across us."

"Baffler gunships?" Relmin said, that designation was unknown to him.

"Ya, those things that can disrupt radio targeting, communication, the works." Malk answered. _Alcross Gunships._Relmin said recognizance the description. "And, your not shooting, why?"

"Aside from that being a act of war?" Malk said with a shrug. "we can only engage at about half that. There free to fly as much as they want about 10,000 feet out, and only 25,000 feet out if they turn there Baffler on.

"At that range telling if there this is a gunship out there is the problem."

"Actually: it's not." Relmin should Malk a look. He shrugged. "With Radar or M.E signature, then yes, it is imposable for us. But with sound detection, then it quite easy."

"Sound detection?" Relmin said confused.

"Ya, sound." he pointed at the radar dish on the tank. "That's a radar dish: a sound detection system requires a much larger system: You've seen the Webs?" Webs were tracked transports carrying what he thought were massive, oddly shaped, radar dishes.

"I think, though I may have misreported them to my superiors."

"Ya, that massive cone on them is a sound detector, ambient noise can be a pain to filter out, but machines make distinctive noise's and a trained ear can pick them up from almost 17,000 feet out."

"Not that good compared to radar." Relmin replied.

"But we are talking about stealth aircraft here."

"Fair enough." Relmin admitted. "Do the Batarins know about that?"

"Sort of." Malk admitted. "We did not tell them are exact capacity, in fact we downplayed it a great deal, that way if they do try something, we can get them."

"I see." Relmin said." The Web I saw was behind us, does that mean the detection range relative to us is very limited?"

"No, we have a few forward us, only during winter mind you, and during summer we can run naval scouts at the range to check for them."

"Humm." Relmin said as he thought it over. What could sound detection do with a VI system? He knew of gunshot detectors, but gunship detectors?

"Sir!" Zao said this time honestly worried. "Forward web just picked up a trio of Baffler gunships 17,000 feet out."

"Spirits damn it." Malk said with a growl. "Any sign of them turning around?"

"Just picked them up: but Web says no trace of them altering course."

"Load guns, set weapons to live, send a message back to command requesting permission to fire if they get in range." then softer to Relmin. "Seems your about to see are guns go live."

"Indeed." a crucial moment. Some Turian generals predicted that cartridge weapons would have all the effect on a modern battle field as rock throwing. It would never be that bad, the bullet was still moving transonic, but how good would it be?

"Now we wait. See if they get closer." tense silence stretched as the gun crew waited, no one wanting to be the first to start a incident. The only brake in the tenseness was a call from general Williams over the fiber optic.

It gave permission to engage if they got in range, but only with one gun. To quote: "Test the effectiveness of are weapons in a live fire situation. But if one gun proves insufficient then engage with all available fire power."

"Mother fucker." Malk growled as he read the message over the computer screen. "Right then: order other battery to hold fire, were take this one."

"A bold move." Relmin said as the message was sent to the other guns.

"I may as well be the one to take the fall for this if this goes south, and if the fall comes in bullet form, well that how it goes. I assure you though: we will give better then we get." he growled. He did not like Batarins much. Though recent events had tried to change his mind, his first memory of Batarin slavers had not left a good impression on him of the species or government.

He was not found of the fact that they were sharing seven planets with them.

The short version: was that humanity had colonized Elysium, a world the Batarins had legally battled the turians for ownership for 20 years. It had been some part of some on going cold war between the two that the Alliance had stumbled into.

The Turians had blinked: backing down from there claim to the world to stave off a armed conflict.

Just when the Batarian were going to start colonizing, they find out the world had been already taken!

A good three years before first contact the Alliance had colonized Elysium, and it took three more years for that fact to be known by the Batarains since first contact had delayed there plans. The Batarins had been ready to fight for it this time, hell come what it may, until the Alliance had offered a deal.

Unlike the Turians, humanity had been willing to break a few galactic laws, namely economic zoning laws, to keep the peace and there existing colony's.

As part of a larger deal involving both land and a one time payment, Elysium was split between the Batarins and Alliance, thus sharing the critically placed world of Elysium. More thankfully, both races got a break from the Council Standard Banking (C.S.B.) and were not cut off from financial support for breaking the treaty's regarding planetary ownership and anti smuggling laws, all covered under the header, 'economic zoning laws'.

Additionally: seven other planets were thrown into the deal so the Batarins had a net game on territory and bending support during colonizing Elysium. Kyto was one of the shared worlds.

The whole thing made the Turians very uneasy. They knew the Batarins were up to something, and given how humans had a bad tendency to naivety they were watching this closely.

It seems the humans were about to figure out just how bad batarins could be.

"Sir: there be in range in 45 seconds."

"Ready the guns, in 40 seconds have the other guns flip the UV lights on."

"UV lights?" the Relmin asked.

"We can't see UV lights, but we have equipment that does. We paint a target with a UV spot light they may not know it, but we will." Relmin nodded. "any other tricks?" he asked

"We've tried for years to hook a pair of Sound-cones, like on the Web's to a AA gun so we can get auto targeting by triangulation, but we keep having issues traversing the analog gap."

"The what?" Relmin asked confused.

"How to translate what the human knows by listening, into the computer and that to the gun battery. The gap is between the computer and the user."

"Sir! Gun in range in 15 seconds."

Malk took a breath human, enough nervous talking, time to make a choice, he made it early.

"Fire at will in 20 seconds." he ordered. "Come what may."

Tension grew thicker and thicker. It grew denser then the snow that coated the ground in a crust.

"5.4.3," Malk said counting the seconds under his breath. "2.1. now." he muttered.

Hydraulic whined as the tank's turret spun barrels facing a target that no unaided human eye could see.

Then, it fired.

Four cannons did not bang, they rattled. 20 mm cannons spraying massive muzzle flashes casting the ground in a strobe light glare. The bullets a stuttering blare of tracers and regular bullets.

You could see the gunships now, lean angular things of gray and black metals. The first gunship almost instantly exploded, the tracers marched down the line, chewing into the second and third gunship scattering the formation.

The fourth and last gunship had only seconds before the bullets scattered into it's armor, so it fired once.

From two wing mounted rocket pods a pair of anit tank missiles were fired, just before the bullets blew into the million dollar aircraft.

Relmin threw him self to the ground as bright glare of the missiles grew brighter, brighter, brighter! Till a bright glow and roar filled his eyes and ears.

But, it was not a rocket roar. He rolled on his back,and his jaw fell.

A solid pillar of flame! 8 feet wide and twice as tall had sprung to roaring life carving into the ice sending rivulet of water that quickly refroze back to ice running down the slope toward what would become the summer sea. And just behind it: creating, forming and maintaining the flame, was Captain Malk.

The missiles roared into the flame, guided by there V.I that told them where the tank was, they knew that it was just on the other side of the heat signature, they would not be lured off with flares.

That they were charging into a inferno did not accrue to there little V.I brains.

A pair of explosions cracked as they hit the flames, melted, and there rocket fuel detonated. The remains of the missiles flew off course to either side smashing into, and though trees before what was left of there war head exploded throwing shards of ice and rock though the air.

The silence was deafening, only the crackle of flames could be heard. Quickly Malk let the flames die, falling to his hands and knees panting. It was not fire bending season on this planet, and he felt it.

Panting he stood up, knees shaking. "Tell General Williams we got them all."

"Yes sir." a subdued crew man said before messaging, command.

"That's, that." Relmin stood up, shaken. "how, I mean," bending! He answer his own question. He altered his thoughts on bending right there.

It was more powerful then biotics, more dangerous and more common.

"Ha." Malk said as he took a drink of warm water from his belt. "I'm not a master, but I'm close." he said between slurps. "Placed second in most regional endurance tournaments."

"Captain: General just got back to us." communications from the tank said. He was not happy. "They want us to move forward and pin who ever still alive in place while he gets a cavalry unit in place to really get them. He also want them alive."

"What kind of cavalry? Air or Mechanized?" Relmin asked.

"Just, cavalry." the radio man (even if the tank was hooked up to a fiber optic) said back.

Relmin fought the urge face palm, and failed.

"Calvary? As in on critter back? Any one see thing wrong with that?" silence before one of the privets protecting the gun spoke. "nope."

"Right, enough talk." Malk said sighing "Get that AA tank moven! It's the only bit of armor we have and I don't want to be in the open without it."

a chorus of yes sirs met him.

"Before we break fiber optics: I want a communication with the other gun crew, tell guns 2-4 to converge on the wrecks and look for survivors, take as many of them alive as you can. Gun five is to roll out of the woods and provide long rang covering fire. Keep them from running."

"Is that such a good idea?" Relmin asked.

"I think so, on the subject." Malk said turning to Relmin he spoke up. "Somebody toss me a spare rifle!"

Seconds latter, a spare rifle appeared in his hands as he snatched it out of the air.

Twice as long as a council equivalent, this was a REAL rifle as compared to an assault rifle, which the Alliance still did not use citing the larger stopping power of a full rifle over the rate of fire of the smaller weapon.

Smoother, sleeker then first contact version, this rifle had a more powerful semi auto action. It wooden frame holding four, five round stripper clips with ease.

Lastly, tipping the rifle was a folding bayonet. "I assume your coming with us?" Malk

It hit Relmin just then. "The rifle's for me? I'm a observer: I don't use weapons."

"Yet, you will be following us?"  
Relmin nodded. "I have to. Especially since your will be deploying cavalry, I,, have doubts as to there effectiveness." to it put mildly. Turians did not have a history of mounted warfare due to a lack of animals that could easily be used for such a purpose. There wars had always been fought and won on foot.

The Asari, Salarian and Batarins all had such a history, and the notion had always struck a Turian as,, silly. The idea of riding into battle was a fool's notion. It took years to learn how to ride, and it took a spear man days to know how to unseat him.

The idea was even dumber in an age of machine guns and mass effect.

"Who knows? The 77th Arctic mounted may surprise you, nether the less, if your going into combat, Your taking a rifle, that is my condition." he handed the weapon over.

Relmin took it, along with eight stripper clips.

"Thanks." Malk said before turning to the tank." That thing ready yet?"

"Engine trouble, the cold playing havoc with it." the driver commented, just before the engine took with a rumble and a hint of black smoke. "There we go!" seconds latter a rattle of gun fire split the woods. Battery five had already opened fire pinning them in place.

"Seems five is starting the party, lets meet up with them."

SHIFT

Spec ops in Eclipse had no name. Just code phase. At the moment the leader of this F.U.B.A.R. was History.

Yes, the pun was not lost on him at the moment.

Bullets were cracking around his position as one of the damn AA guns swept the wreckage, forcing them to cover in the leeward side.

Pinned in place, ground troops advance, so much for this 'test' of human defenses. Not to mention they might the secret of the 'bafflers', as humans called them, out.

So for: defenses strong. Very strong.

The wreckage of the five gunships were tightly spread, and the crews had manged to group together under the metal hulk of gunship number four.

"What now History?" a agent asked.

"First thing's first, a head count." he scanned the survivors, every one who was not dead or too wounded to have to take cyanide pills, was there and of that number, there were only 45 of them.

Not good, a sudden snapping of metal drew there attention. Like fire-mantis*, the icy slope lit up in flashes as the human ground troops barraged bullets into invaders position.

Most combat took usually took place over a range of less then 200 yards, a range that made the assault rifle king.

The key word in that sentence was usually.

In this wide open battle field though, at much long ranges, the rifle was the better weapon.

The fire was keeping holding the spec ops low as the squads advanced, the tanks moving up with them rolling though snow drifts with ease as they cruise forward, pausing only to lay a burst of fire down.

Not good at all. The main guns of the AA tank buzzed there position again, the guns firing in five second bursts to conserve ammo.

"This is not going well." History muttered. Air support was about a minute away, they had to hold till then, but even if air support got here, the AA tanks would likely just shoot them down again.

No, that was impossible. The Bafflers had been on the first time, they would be off the second. They would not find the gunships so easy a target again.

Still, the human infantry were not in range yet, they had to wait.

SHIFT

so far, the battle seemed to be going the humans way, at least if the weight in bullets was to be taken. Relmin though felt they were wasting a lot of bullets.

Kentic energy may have been more but bullets were harder to come by for the Alliance then the small flake of metal that a Mass effect weapon used.

The range was closing and the gun fire from the en battered and trapped Batarins, check that. Relmin growled.

There was little evidence theses were Batarin nationals. They sold Baffler gunships all over terminus, even if every-time the Turians had tried to get there hands on one, it always lacked the baffler.

They could be fighting any one, Batarain nationals, pirates, or any one of a dozen of Terminus nations.

A sudden explosion signaled the launching of a shoulder mounted anti tank rocket.

A swirling pile of snow twisted upward meet the rocket when it was a yard from the target.

The ice enclosed and encased the rocket, before exploding sending shards of snow flying in every direction.

Benders. Relmin growled. Suddenly rockets need whole new tactics. If a bender could see a rocket, they could stop it with ease.

If only he had not gotten separated from Malk. The humans should no sign of slowing there advance even as they got closer and closer to the commandos.

The exchange of fire grew more furious, and still he had yet to chamber his first bullet.

The AA tanks suddenly opened up in a thundering barrage of gun fire that deafened the ears, but not enough to miss the single command that was absolutely insane. "Fix bayonets!" some sergeant yelled.

What.

The.

Fucking.

Hell.

Bayonets! That,, was,, insanity!

On more levels then he could think!

But, a thought hit him.

Biotics were more dangerous the closer you were. If benders were the same, then one could think of a human platoon as a bender 'deliver system' to get the benders close enough to the enemy to inflict damage.

And with an oversupply of benders: they may have had enough force to do it.

Still, insanity! He thought even as he followed the bad order and extended his bayonet, some deep primal part of him rejoiced at the idea of man to man combat. That part was just not nearly as loud as the part going, _'I am going to get shot and die.'_

The closer the Alliance worked toward the invaders the higher the rate of fire rose, as human rifles cracked against the rattle of assault rifle, and the sounds of bending grew louder as well.

Ice and salt were propelled like guided munitions though the frozen air, impacting in sprays of crystal or frost.

Of course, this was not to say everything was going well, even as the Alliance advanced forward.

A soft whistle grew louder, and louder, but still unheard under the bang of gun fire, then with a sharp explosion of pure metal rending force, an out of AT missile plunged into the top of a tank and detonated.

That tank, ceased to be.

Chunks of hot steaming metal and ammunition flew like chunks from a over side frag grenade scything into the snow, ice and warm body's around it.

In quick secession more missiles roared downward and the night was punctuate by the four explosions as tanks had armor penetrating warhead slam though there top hatches and detonate, decimating the tanks.

All but one, just in time a shield of ice rose around it absorbing the impact and protecting a single vehicle.

Twisting, the turret pivoted to face onrush gunships as they moved into range, and the last AA tank opened fire. The guns chattered rapidly sending streams of tracers skyward and a brass rain to fall steaming to the ground.

Unlike before, the rounds did not dig into the armor, but ricochet off the shield. The blue mass effect violently lit up in the night in with each bullet impact stopping the rounds with ease.

Within the gunship the results were not as well as one of the infantry might have thought it was for them.

The pilot of the gunship six watched his shield rapidly crawled downward, in less than 50 seconds it would be gone, and so would he.

Grunting he turned his own chain gun onto the tank, and angrily he watched them spark and pell of the armor of the tank.

The things VI did not even registered the anti-infantry slugs as enough of a threat to active a shield. Gunship seven fired another anti-tank missile to try and crush the thing.

A swirling cone of ice and snow rose up to meet it catching the round in midair, seconds before it exploded in response to be surrounded by ice.

If its VI could talk it would have said. _"What the hell is with this shit?"_

Growling this time with fear gunship six fired flares to try and lure the trail of tracers away, to no avail.

The rounds cut though the shields, then the armor, shattering engines, lift thrusters and mass effect core sending the gunship spiraling to the ground.

Like a hunting cat the guns pivoted onto a second of the three supporting gunships and the tank roared into another ship,, for three seconds.

It gave a heart rending snicket, as the pin struck a bullet that was not there.

The tank had run out of ammo for its main guns, and all it had left was the hull and pintal mounted .557 machine gun, neither of which could target air craft.

The tank, was not a waste of space.

SHIFT  
"Seems the bastard ran out of ammo." The pilot to gunship seven said over the radio to eight.

"Confirm that, focus on the infantry." The reply came back. Herdin, the aforementioned pilot number seven, nodded his silent agreement and turn his chain gun on the ground troops.

"Hay check you thermal." His copilot said. "Something odd." Herdin nodded and the screen flipped over to a mosaic of red on blue showing heat and the lack of it.

"You mean those big warm thing come up on are east?"

"Well, yes but no. Look at the big heat sig on that guy," the outline of a person filled the screen pointing him out. "It's like's the guy's holding a lightning bolt or somthen,,"

The guy in question did seem to be completely enveloped in massive wave of heat that covered him like a halo.

"Well, ya but," the wave of heat released itself.

Everyone was blinded in a sudden flash of light that cut though the dark and cold slice into the side of gunship eight like what could only be called as a bolt of lightning.

And it was just that! A bolt of lightning, from the blue.

Small bolts of electric flared across the gunship sparking amid and across the ship, covering it in a writhing net of thunder.

The gunship held it self-aloft for and slowly, as it thrusters tried to hold it up, molten armor dripping off it flanks from the bolt of energy.

Then the thrusters died, and the gunship fell, slowly but then more rapidly from the skies like some kind bird that had been hit with a load of buck shot, but was still trying to fly.

With a smashing clash it landed amid the human formation, who in seconds were crawling over the ship like ants, there guns gleaming.

",,,O crap." The pilot muttered, he throttled his thrusters to escape, if that happened again then he was clearly the next,, that thought never completed itself.

A bolt of energy shorted his ship, and then his brains out.

SHIFT

Panting Malk lowered his hands, energy still dancing across his fingers. This was NOT the time of season for fire bending, much less lighting.

For the first time since he had been deployed to this misbegotten planet he was over heating he stretched his collar out.

"Keep moving!" he shouted. "Forward!" after all, the old fire nation tactic was called shock and awe for a reason.

After you 'shocked them' you moved fast while they flash still blinded em and grabbed the by the preverbal belt buckle.

In this case, you took them at bayonet point. Malk rested his hands on his knees as he panted; this really was not his weather he reflected, it was very, very tireing to be a fire bender on this planet.

Even as he recovered his breath a out of breath Turian grabbed his shoulder.

"What the hell! Did you just do that?" he was shocked, face hidden behind the face plate but you could see in his body language the look of someone who had just had his world shaken.

Bending was hard enough to take, but those gunships would have killed them all in seconds had they not been destroyed fast enough, and he had only one person to thank for that.

Malk rest a hand on Relmin shoulder as he caught his breath. "Ya. Why do you think we don't use air power for close support?" he said flippantly.

"Does that mean we get a good report?" he chuckled, but his hands were shaking. For the most part the Alliance had been peaceful before first contact. There 'army' official (if rarely used) name was the Expeditionary colonial force. Up to first contact there only job was assisting in the colonizing planets and building up there infrastructure. (and some times fighting off wild life, Thersher maw hunting was now a semi popular earth bending extreme sport after there frist encounter with one)

Turians had the army core of engineers, the Alliance had the United Benders League, for benders, and the Road, Excavation, and Demolition teams for non-benders and they were much larger pecent of the army then any other nation.

Now the Alliance army had to fight and kill, and they may have been an army and a half decent one at that, but there psych support system left a lot to be desired for. Much less for the trama a fire bender inflicted.

"Sir." Malk looked up to face a sergeant, an earth bender if the salt incrusted on face was anything to go by. "Worked like a charm sir, we got up close and managed to get some of them. Most died sir, poisoned themselves I think."

"Damn it, thank you sargent," Malk sighed "Any one alive?"

"A few pilots sir, mostly the ones you lighting bent." he smiled showing grimly. "One of them decryed he was going to 'Charge the sick bastard who fryed my co pilot like a deep friyed pod crab with a war crime."

Malk snorted. "As if he could do that, they invaded are planet for what ever reason and put the batarian in hot water. Even odds there going to pay for this some how."

* * *

_**Landing, landing, landing, i hate this chapter. it likely has errors i missed it so feel free to tell me. **_

_**this whole Human Batarian time share thing is what made the chapter take so long, first i had it explained by polticans with more emthisise on the treatys involved but that turned into a confuseing sprawl of text blocks explain concepts that i barly understood so i went a diffrent approach.**_


End file.
